Just like a real mom!
by CaseyJr
Summary: Begins in 2x18: Brooke is living with Lucas and Karen. Some scenes how Karen and Brooke get along when Brooke skips school, gets sick or even has to deal with the aftermath of the school shooting.  Brulian AND Brucas moments :0
1. Chapter 1

„Grounded? I have never been grounded in my whole life", Brooke said back and did not understand quite well the situation she was in. Her world

was spinning around and she realized that she had too much alcohol last night. „Well, there is a first time for everything." Karen answered harshly „Now go

tobed.". Brooke could not even brush her teeth or think of getting undressed. She just fell to the bed and moaned „But I´ve been drifting.", with that she

closed her eyes but immediately opened them again and ran to the bathroom because she had to puke. Karen heard Brooke running to the bathroom and

went after her. „God Brooke.", she said while holding her hair „is this what you do normally?". Brooke could not answer because she was still puking. After a

while Karen sat with her on the floor and hold her tight. „Are you okay now?", Karen asked. She felt pity for Brooke. Not because she was puking. In fact

she thought that this served her right, but because she knew that this teenager had noone to look after her. So she did not scream at her for the moment

but let her head rest in her lap and caressed her hair. Brooke whispered „Sorry for the money." And Karen had to smile because she realized that Brooke did

not understand that she actually did not care about the money at all. „C´mon. Let´s get you to bed.", Karen helped Brooke getting up and tucked her in.

„We will have to talk tomorrow.", she smiled at the girl who was already asleep.

The next day Karen was at her café and saw her son coming in. „Hey Lucas. Are you hungry?", she asked him and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. „No

thanks mom. I ate at school." „Honey. Where is Brooke?", she then asked confused. Lucas shook his shoulder and said „I don´t know. She wasn´t at

school." Karen´s eyes widened immediately „She what?" Lucas did not understand her reaction „Calm down mom. Brooke skips school very often.

And I heard that there was a big party yesterday. So I guess she is still lying in bed." Karen looked shocked at her son. „Cover me, ok!", she said and went

furiously towards her home. Without knocking she entered „Brookes" room which once belonged to her son and opened the curtains and window. „Brooke

Penelope Davis.", Brooke immediately shot up in an upright position. She was still lying in bed with her street clothes. Her hair looked like a mess and her

eyes were black from the mascara. „Ouch", she said and touched her head. „Why weren´t you at school, young miss?", Karen asked. Brooke did not

understand her reaction. In fact she was not used to somebody asking her that question. „Sorry, I overslept.", she answered politely and wanted to rest

again but Karen took her by her arm and pulled her along with her into the bathroom. „Get fresh and then come to the café. Tonight we´ll have a talk.".

Brooke stayed confused in the bathroom but forget about all of it when looking into the mirror. „Oh my gosh", she said and decided to take a shower.

An hour later Brooke arrived at the café and sat down besides Lucas. „What happened to your mom. I thought she liked me.", she said confused but Lucas

couldn´t help but smile. „She likes you Brooke. It´s just a motherly way of showing it." Brooke rolled her eyes „Well, I am not really used to a motherly

way.", Brooke said back still feeling a bit sick.

Then Karen arrived with many papers. „Okay Brooke. I called at school and told them why you skipped classes. This is your homework. And the principle

wants you tomorrow in his buro." Brooke´s eyes were wide like a balloon. She did not know what to say, so Karen took the word „Just do it. And when you

´re finished we will have a talk at home."

Brooke looked at a smiling Lucas „If this is a motherly care. I am so thankful that mine never shows up." „I heard that Brooke. Do you wanna leave Tree

Hill. Cause you can do it every moment. You know that." „ No...I...Karen, it is just." „What is it?", Karen asked furiously. „It is no big deal you know. I have

skipped school before.", Brooke answered but knew this wasn´t the right answer. „I don´t care what you did before Broole. As long as you´re living under

my roof you have to follow my rules." „But...", Brooke tried to say „Brooke. Do you want to leave Tree Hill?", Karen asked harshly. „No.", Brooke whispered

and looked away. „Then do the homework and stop complaining." Karen and Lucas shared a small laugh which Brooke did not see. He was actually proud of

his mom and thought that she was the only person that could tame his pretty girl a bit.

„Haley.", Brooke whined. „What is it?", Haley asked while mopping the floor in the café.

„I have never spent so many time with my homework.", Brooke said annoyed and looke at her with her puppy face. „Okay, what is it?", Haley sat down

besides her and looked at her papers. „Math. I hate math." Brooke said and gave her the pencil. „But Brooke. You haven´t even started.", Haley answered

and widened her eyes when seeing only some drawn sketches from Brooke. „I know. I am just not a school type girl. You know that best. Even if I try I don

´t know the answer.", Brooke said smiling wildly. „I will not do your homework for you Brooke.", Haley then answered when seeing Karen coming towards

them. „Brooke", Karen said and looked over her shoulders. Brooke jumped up and looked up into Karen´s eyes. „Don´t tell me you spent the two hours

drawing this?", she looked at the sketches and was surprised how good they were „although they are great. Wow. Brooke. You are really good in drawing."

„Thanks", Brooke smiled wildly. „Well. Let me see this.", she took Brooke´s homework and realized that Brooke really had not done a thing. „Okay Brooke.

This is it. Haley you can go." Haley felt the tension and it was the first time she looked at Brooke and actually saw her getting smaller than she was and

pleading her to stay with her eyes.


	2. Sickness

_ „Okay Brooke. This is it. Haley you can go." Haley felt the tension and it was the first time she looked at Brooke and actually saw her getting smaller than she was and pleading her to stay with her ey_es.

„Karen I...", Brooke tried to defend herself but was surprised when Karen stayed calm besides her and took her papers. „Okay, let me see. So math isn´t your favourite subject, right?", Karen asked and looked at a suspicious Brooke. „Right?" Brooke then answered „No. I am not really good in it." „Well I wasn´t either.", Karen smiled back and then layed the paper in front of it. „Well, just try getting through with it."

An hour later Karen smiled at Brooke and pushed her hand. „Finished.". Brooke smiled back and said „Cool". „Well lets go home.", Karen suggested and was surprised when Brooke hugged her tightly „Thanks Karen."

At home Brooke fell exhausted on her bed. She had never been so tired in her whole life.

Karen sat besides her „Okay Brooke. So here are some rules I want you to follow."

Brooke nodded her head. „No party during the week. No drinking at all since you´re not 21, no skipping school, no boys in the room and homework has to be done." Karen smiled „That´s it for the moment" Brooke laughed shyly „Wow." „What?", Karen asked confused. „You could have just said „no Brooke"", Brooke smiled weekly „Brooke. You are more than that." Karen then left the room „now get ready for bed."

The next morning Karen made breakfast for her son and Brooke. They were sitting at the table and talking about the big game today. „I am so excited.", Brooke said but coughed between every sentence. „Brooke just eat up,okay.", Lucas answered, knowing that when Brooke would continue talking so much they would never get to school. „I am not really hungry.", she answered telling the truth but asked surprised when Karen looked at her a bit furious. „What?", not knowing what happened. „Breakfast is important.", Lucas then smiled and laughed at his mother. Brooke envied them a bit and smiled back and began to eat. Her throat hurt like hell and it was actually a bit difficult for her to eat. But finally Lucas and her were standing at the door. Karen gave her son a kiss on the cheek. „Mom. When will you stop doing this?", he asked and rolled his eyes. Brooke smiled wildly „Well you´re her baby boy.", with that Karen gave her a kiss on the cheek too but immediately realized how warm Brooke was. „Bye Karen.", they said but Karen took Brooke´s hand and pushed her on a chair. „You are staying home.", she said to Brooke who looked shocked at her. „What? Why?", Brooke and Lucas asked confused. „Well, cause you are sick.", Karen said. Brooke tried to protest „But I only have this cough and...", meanwhile Karen took the thermometer and put it into the protesting mouth. „Brooke" Karen said frightened „you have 100 °F." Lucas looked at the thermometer and hold his hand to her forehead. „God Brooke. You´re far too hot." Brooke smiled at his comment and he smiled back. But she just stood up and wanted to walk out with Lucas. „What are you intending to do Brooke.", Karen asked harshly and knew that a fight between them would begin. Even Lucas could feel the tension in the air and he knew how emotionally Brooke reacted when she was sick. „Karen. I am sorry but I have to go to school. Today is a big game and I am the captain of the cheerleaders and cannot miss that. It´s not like it is the first time that I´ve been sick at school. So don´t worry, ok." Brooke thought that she had won this argument but was surprised when Karen dialed a number and said „Wait a minute." „Good morning. This is Karen Roe." she said. „Good morning", the principal answered. „Well, like you know I am the legal guardian at the moment for Miss Davis. Miss Davis is sick today but nevertheless wants to come to the game today. I assume you cannot aprove that, right?" The principal laughed at the other end and said „Karen, just gimme the kid." Karen gave the phone to Brooke who did not know what to say. The principal tried not to laugh and said seriously „Miss Davis you are not allowed to enter the school until Karen Roe calls me and tells me that you´re healthy. If you do so you will be fired as the cheerleading captain." „What?", Brooke answered not believing what she just had heard „But..."

„No buts Miss Davis. Go to bed and get well soon. Now let me speak to Mrs. Roe again." Brooke could not say a word and gave the phone to Karen while tears of fury appeared in her eyes. „Thank you.", Karen said „No problem Karen.", the principal answered. Lucas stood a bit shocked at the door and didn´t know what to do „It´s ok. Just go Lucas." She did not have to say that twice to him. So Karen turned around and went after Brooke who had closed the door very loudly.

It was a strange situation for Brooke. She knew that Karen could easily tell her to leave Tree Hill and she had to cooperate but on the other hand she was used to being „responsible" for herself and could not help but being so angry. But she was smart enough not to scream at Karen but let her fall onto her bed and screamed into her pillow loudly. Her whole body ache and she felt exhausted. How could Karen made her stay at home at such a day. She didn´t stop screaming until she felt a hand on her back and looked up for a minute shocked because she had not heard the door. Brooke then stopped screaming but still cried heavily. She was not used having someone telling her what to do and although she always wished for it. At the moment she hated it. Karen just sat besides her and caressed her back like she always had done with Lucas when he was younger. „Kiddo. Will you suffocate yourself with that pillow", Karen finally asked a little later „C´mon. Get up." Brooke just shook her head and said „I don´t want to." Karen knew that Brooke was a stubborn teenager but had never imagined that she would be this stubborn. But Karen also knew that she was stubborn herself and just pulled Brooke up into her arms and looked into her red and puffy eyes. „You have to breath some time", Karen smiled and pinched her nose a little. Brooke looked away but then said „You should have let me go." „Brooke. I know that in your world going sick to school is no big deal. And I am really sorry that you miss this game. I know how important it is for you. But in my world going sick to school is a big deal. I know that you are used to being responsible for yourself and handling everything on your own. But you´re a teenager. And it should not be this way. I am sorry to say that but you do not take the best care of yourself.", she smiled and looked down at Brooke who still avoided looking into her eyes but let her head rested in Karen´s lap. Karen could feel that Brooke was burning up even more. „You know Brooke. I care for you." She shifted Brooke´s head a bit so Brooke had to look into her eyes „You know that right?" Brooke´s eyes immediately were filled with tears again but she nodded. „But I wanted to be at the game", Brooke whispered. „I know honey. I know." Karen just said back and caressed her hair. It did not take long for Brooke to fell asleep in Karen´s arms.


	3. For just being Brooke Davis

**JustLikeBrookeDavis, soapfan2006, dianehermans: Thanks so much for reviewing! I realize that not so many people are reading this story. I don´t know whether they don´t like it or just don´t do it ;). Reviews motivate me all the time, so thanks a lot for taking your time! There will be definitely many more close moments between Karen and Brooke. I love their relationship on the show and I think they should have shown a bit more scenes ;)! See you soon!**

Brooke jumped up and hold her hand in front of her mouth. She immediately tried to run to the bathroom but fell out of the bed on the ground with a loud sound. „Ouch.", she

said but had to get up again and ran into the bathroom to puke but this time not because of alcohol. Karen was right behind her again and hold her hair.

„Just let it all out.", Karen said and caressed her back. Brooke felt so weak and shivered. Her whole body was full of sweat and it seemed to be so cold.

Finally she managed to sit and lean on the toilet. She stayed calm while Karen took a sponge and cleaned her face. „Second time you see me puking.", Brooke smiled weekly.

Karen smiled back „Now let´s get you to bed again and out of this clothes." Brooke´s clothes were too wet from her sweat. Karen helped her getting into her PJ´s and then she

snuggled into bed again. „So Brooke. Which one do you prefer?", Karen asked naive. Brooke shook her head. „I don´t know. I never eat soups." „But what does your mother do

when your sick?", Karenfelt sorry immediately when she recognized what she just had said. But Brooke just answered „ She had never seen me sick." Although Brooke´s voice did

not sound hurt she knew that Brooke was hurt inside. „Okay, well. Sleep a bit." Karen did not have to tell her that twice. Brooke was so exhausted that immediately she went to

sleep again. Karen checked on her often. Two hours later a very pale Brooke came into the kitchen and opened the fridge. „Brooke.", Karen said confused. „What are you doing

here?" Brooke did not comprehend the question.

„Umm. I am thirsty. I just wanted to get a water.", she asked naive but was pulled into bed by Karen again. „You stay in bed ok. I will get you

everything you need.",Karen answered. „Karen. It´s fine. I can get a water by myself", Brooke answered but received a look that told her not to stand up Karen went out

of the room and took a glas while Brooke switched on the tv but it was switched off by Karen promptly. „What?", Brooke asked. „No tv when you´re sick.", Karen said back and sat

besides Brooke and gave her the glas. „But I am bored and I always watch tv when I am sick Karen.", Brooke complaint. „No get healthy faster by not watching tv.", Karen

answered. „Says who?", Brooke complaint again but then stopped. „So, what am I supposed to do?", Brooke asked honestly. „Just rest. Get more sleep. Eat more soup.", Karen

smiled at Brooke. Brooke seemed like a ten year old and definitley acted like one. „God. I will die of boredom.", she answered and took her pillow on her face. „Internet? DVD?

Game Boy?Mobile", Brooke then asked. „Nope.", Karen replied. „Book?", Brooke then suggested. „Only if I read it to you.", Karen smiled back „you shall rest Brooke!". Brooke rolled

her eyes and complaint again „But Karen. I´ve been resting the last 4 hours. I cannot rest any more." Karen did not want to start a fight again and tried to do the one thing she

knew that always helped with Lucas. She snuggled into the bed with Brooke and took her on her arm. Brooke welcomed the warmth and felt very safe when Karen started

caressing her back again. Karen was shocked how hot Brooke was and thought that it would be better to call the doctor again. She could feel that Brooke relaxed again. „You

should not talk too much Brooke as well, okay. But maybe this is the one thing I cannot stop you from.", Karen smiled and heard Brooke laughing childly. „So Brooke. What did you

always do when you were sick?" Brooke did not know what to say. There wasn´t one specific thing she did. „I don´t know. I went to school and just got better or I stayed home in

bed when I was too exhausted and just waited til I got better." „Well did you eat or drink in that time?", Karen asked confused. „ Yes, I drank. Nope I do not eat then. It´s just too

difficult to cook then. Well, I mean, I never cook. I always order anything. But I am not really hungry when I am sick.",Brooke confessed. „What do you mean you never cook?",

Karen asked being confused again „what do you eat outside." „I like fast food a lot. Mostly pizza and burger or sweets. I hate vegetables.", Brooke said and snuggled a bit tighter to

Karen. Karen could not believe that nobody had ever asked Brooke how she actually was dealing with being alone all the time. All of them had just looked away at the fact that she

was still a teenager and had been alone for years. „Brooke. Can I ask you something.", Karen asked looking at Brooke. Brooke looked up at Karen and smiled „Yes, of course."

„When was the last time you´ve seen your parents?" Brooke tried to remember. „I think...well, I guess it was 20 months ago.

„What?" Karen suddenly jumped up and felt sorry when Brooke looked shocked at her „What is it?", Brooke asked not knowing what she had done. „I am sorry, Brooke", she sat in

front of Brooke and took her hands „20 months? That´s a long time Brooke." Brooke nodded shyly „I know. I guess I am not the daughter parents want to have right!", Karen´s

heart broke when she heard that sentence. „Brooke. You know that it is not your fault, right?". Brooke just looked away and turned around „Karen, I really wanna sleep right now,

okay?". But Karen insisted on getting an answer. „Brooke, look at me.", she turned her around again and could see the tears falling down. „I don´t know. Maybe when I would

have been better at school or nicer or prettier or smarter they would have stayed with me." It was enough for Brooke. She let her tears fall and cried heavily in Karen´s arms.

„Brooke. That is not true. You´re such a great person and I wish you were my daughter. I would be proud of you. In fact. I am proud of you." Brooke immediately asked „For

what?" Karen took her head in her hands „For what? Honey. For everything. For being so kind to people. For being such a honest person and always caring for others. For being

the captain of the cheerleaders. For being the school president. For just being you Brooke Davis." Brooke just shook her face „Guess not for always starting a fight, skipping school,

drinking, having fun with boys...", Brooke wanted to continue but Karen stopped her. „Stop it. You´re a teenager. I cannot think of any teenager I know that would have become

so great like you without parents. God Brooke. You are allowed to do such stuff. Guess how many fights I had with Lucas in the past.", Karen smiled.

„None?", Brooke answered but heard Karen laughing loudly „ Well, I wished. You did not forget the little tattoo for example right?" Brooke blushed immediately. „Yeah right." „So

you miss them right?", Karen asked again. But Brooke shook her head. „I don´t miss them. I miss the idea of having parents. Sometimes I think I miss them but when I call

Victoria when I am sick and she just says a Davis shall not pity herself or when dad comes home and just complains about my grades or tells me how dumb I am I remember that

I am better without them than with them." Brooke whispered and was so happy when Karen snuggled into bed again. She closed her eyes and and fell asleep.

When Lucas came home he found his mother and Brooke deep asleep. So he took his camera and made a foto of the two women he loved the most.


	4. Like Mother and Daughter

**Hey guys. So here is the next chap! Of course I will add more bonding moments between the two of them! A lot! Some of you wrote to me that you would like a Brucas story. I will definitely add some scenes ("He took a photo of the two women he loved the most) but will focus a bit more on the motherly relationship and how she helps Brooke finding her way...Hope you enjoy reading and I myself as usual love seing some reviews :)!Thank u!**

The next morning Brooke screamed at the toilet when she saw herself in the mirror. Her whole face was covered with red marks. She lifted up her shirt

and looked at her stomach. The stomach as well had those marks. „Karen", she then screamed who immediately ran into the bathroom „What is this?",

Brooke asked shocked. „Oh no Brooke." Karen took her hand when Brooke wanted toscratch her marks. „Stop that or you end up getting scars." „But.."

Brooke said. „Brooke did you have every child disease?", Karen asked and pushed her back to bed. „I don´t know Karen. I don´t

even know what child diseases are." „Okay. I think you have the chicken pox." „But...but only children get this Karen.I am not a child", Brooke

complaint. „Adults can get it as well if they aren´t immune. I´ll call the docotr."

Within one hour the doctor arrived and immediately said „Yes Miss Roe. You were right. This would be the chicken pox." The doctor then took a

thermometer and wanted to put it into her ears but

Brooke made a face of paint „So the ear hurts as well?", the doctor said and Brooke nodded. He looked into her gurge and touched her stomach as well.

„Okay looks like you have the chicken pox

combined to a bronchitis and ear infection. How long have you had symptoms of getting sick?", the doctor asked confused of seing a young patient so

sick at one time. „I don´t know. My ear hurt

since...maybe two months and I threw up a lot last month but I thought I had a food allergy or something like that.", Brooke revealed. „Well Miss Davis.

Next time please visit the doctor

immediately. You have to take this antibiotics and stay in bed for at least one week." Brooke´s eyes widened „One week?", she asked astonished.

„Maybe more if you don´t rest." He looked at

Karen who nodded. When the doctor was gone Karen sat besides a sleeping Brooke and shook her head „Brooke Penelope Davis. I will never let you live

alone again."

xxx

„Gosh Karen.", Brooke said „I cannot stay in bed any longer.". Karen came into the room again and rolled her eyes. „Please, please, just let me help you

clean up or cooking or anything else."

„Thanks for the offer but you have to at least stay in bed for another 4 days. There is no way I will let you get out of it. Are we clear.", Karen smiled.

„Critsal clear." Brooke answered and let out a

sigh of boredom. „So which book?", Karen then asked. „What which book?", Brooke looked up at her. „What is your favourite book?". Brooke looked

confused at Karen „I don´t have one." „C´mon

Brooke. I know you don´t like reading so much but everyone has at least one." Brooke thought of it „Nope. The only books I´ve ever read were those

we had to read at school. And I did not even

read all of them." Brooke laughed and coughed at the same time. „Don´t look so shocked at me Karen. I am not a bookworm like your son." „Okay. So.

Which was your favourite book when you

were little?" „God Karen. Is this a game show?", Brooke smiled „I could not read when I was little and my parents weren´t actually into reading

anything to me." Brooke laughed at the thought.

„Okay. Seems like we have to start from the beginning.", Karen looked at Brooke with a huge smile and went out of the room but entered it shortly

afterwards with many books. „What is this?",

Brooke asked. „Those are Luca´s old books I read to him." „And?" „And I am going to read them to you!" Brooke did not know whether it was a joke or

not „You do realize I am not six any more,

right?", Brooke answered confused but Karen just went to bed, put her arm around Brooke and said „Well by your look yes. By your behaviour no.",

then she opened the book and started reading

the first one. Brooke looked at the pictures and smiled. Karen was reading some fairy tails to her. At the moment she read „snowwhite". „Wow. She

looks like my mom.", Brooke pointed at the dark

figure that had given the apple to the poor girl. „Will she be okay?", Brooke asked curiously and wanted to look at the last page. But Karen took the

book out of her hand and looked mad at Brooke.

„Brooke. The point is waiting til the end okay." „But...", Brooke complaint but then nodded and was happy when Karen continued reading. „That was a

great story.", She said in the end „next one

please." Karen laughed and took the next book „No wonder the others said they liked being sick when they had parents reading to them", Brooke

whispered but could not fight any more and drifted

into dream land.

xxx

Six days Brooke was happy to go to school again. „Finally healthy." She said proudly and walked with Lucas to school. „Mum and you got really

close this week.", Lucas smiled „Guess she does not hate you!" Brooke nodded her head and blushed „Right. I was wrong. Guess that´s how mothers

normally act." She went over to her friends not knowing that Karen would tell her today that

she would stay at them till the end of school. „We are so glad your back", Bevin went to Brooke and hugged her tight. „Yeah, me too.", Brooke

answered and got dressed into her cheerleading suit.

„Look at this. The Clarks have their next party tomorrow.", Brooke widened her eyes. The Clarks always made the best parties. „I cannot come.",

Brooke just said and a stunned Bevin looked at her

„Brooke Davis. What happened to you. Why not?" „Because it´s a school night.", Brooke answered honestly. „So?" „Well I live with Lucas at the

moment and I am not allowed to go out during the

week.",, Brooke rolled her eyes. „And that really keeps you from going?", Bevin laughed. Brooke thought of it for a moment. „Well...I guess not. Show it

to me.", she took the flyer and laughed.

xxx

The party was perfect. All her friends were there except of Haley who defnitely was learning for the test tomorrow. Peyton smiled at her when she saw

Brooke. „So, you lied to Karen.", Peyton

laughed „Brooke I hope you won´t get caught.". „No, no. She won´t ever know about it.", Brooke smiled „c´mon let´s dance." With that both of them

went to the dancefloor and danced. Brooke

had decided not to drink but like usual she changed her mind. „Your the best party pal Brooke.", Skills sat down besides her and asked „Shots?". „Not

for that young miss." Brooke did not dare to

look around. She knew whom the voice belonged to behind her back. So she just sat on the couch without moving. „Brooke. Let´s go.", Karen said mad

and took her arm. Skills and the others

laughed hard „Never have seen B. Davis so frightened." And the party did not stop.

Brooke looked on the ground and just followed Karen to her car. Karen did not say a word and that was even harder for Brooke. „Karen...I..." „Don´t

say a word.", Karen answered harshly. So

Brooke shut up and just sat besides her in the car. When they reached the house Brooke wanted to get out but Karen started talking. „Brooke Penelope

Davis. What have I told you?" „Umm...no

parties during the week.", Brooke whispered. „Right, and why were you at the party?", Karen asked. „Because...because I don´t know. It was the

Clerks´party and I just did not want to miss it."

Then the yelling started. Karen was so mad that she actually got Brooke to cry in front of her. Brooke was crying because all of it. She had too much

alcohol, she felt sorry and ashamend and was

frightened of her punishment. „You can get out now.", Karen finally said and Brooke opened the door and walked slowly into her room. She couldn´t

stop crying when she fell onto her bed.

xxx

The next morning she was sitting with glasses at class. The others asked her what had happened. „My mother caught her at the party.", Lucas

whispered „and she was screaming at her for a long

time in the car. And Brooke cried her eyes out.", Lucas touched her hand. „Something like that.", Brooke whispered. „So, what is your punishment?",

Lucas asked „grounded?". „Actually she did

not say anything.", Brooke answered unsure. „Oh this will be a hard one.", Lucas and Haley smiled weekly. „What? Why?", Brooke asked. „That means

she has to think about a proper one.".

Brooke put her head on the table „Great." „Good morning everybody. Prepared fort he test?", the teacher then asked. Brooke´s head shot up and she

looked helpless at Haley „Test?", she

whispered. Haley nodded. „This is just a perfect day.", she whispered and looked at the test.

The next hours weren´t good as well. In fact even worse. Through the school microphone the principal said „Brooke Penelope Davis. Please come into

my office." Brooke shut up „What?", she was

almost asleep in calculus and the teacher looked at her again and said „Miss Davis. Go to the principal." Brooke looked helpless at her friends and went

to the principal. She knocked at the door and

entered the room.

„Sit down Miss Davis.", he said. „Whatever it is. I did not do it", she tried to make a joke but he did not laugh. „So Miss Davis. I had a look at your test

today and your other grades." He gave her

the test with a big F on it. „Well, seems like I am not that good in history.", she smiled week. „It´s not only history. You are failing calculus as well. Miss

Davis. I am sorry. In my opinion it is best

when you take this year again."

Brooke widened her mouth „What?". „But I have someone who believes that with a little help you can get better grades without repeating the class."

Brooke did not know what to say. „I know that

you party a lot." Brooke blushed. „Miss Davis I give you just this one chance. No party for the next two months. You are suspended from the

cheerleading square. If you forget your homework

once, detention for the whole week. And all, I really mean all your grades have to be at least a C. Do you understand me?" Brooke could not say a word.

„Miss Davis. Do you understand me?". She

nodded and tried not to protest because she knew she would loose this fight. Peyton waited outside for Brooke and when a pale Brooke came out she

asked „What happened.". Brooke ran into her

arms and began to sob. „I will never, never, never get to graduate" The principal heard her and went out „Miss Davis. I have faith in you. You should

have it too. And I offer you all the help you

need." Brooke nodded weakly.

xxx

At home Karen was still totally mad at Brooke and did not say anything. „Karen...I am so sorry.", Brooke tried to apologize. Karen took Brooke´s hands

and said „You know you´re grounded, right?"

Brooke nodded and asked „How long?". „Three months.", Karen said and went on cleaning the room. In this moment Lucas went into the kitchen

„Three months mom?", he defended Brooke „That

´s longer than I ever got." Brooke was just standing there not saying anything „It´s okay.", she then said and surprised both of them. „Umm...can you

tell me the rules of grounding again?", she

blushed for not having payed attention before. „Of course", Karen smiled and went with Brooke to her room and sat on the bed „You go to school and

then you come back. You can do your

homework at home or at the café. No parties, no friend´s visit except if you learn together. No tv, internet once a day.", Brooke nodded and laughed

„So like prison huh?" Karen caressed her cheek

„Worse honey. On weekends you have to study all the time."

Karen saw the lights still turned on in Brooke´s room. It was 2 in the morning and Brooke sat on her bed. She came into the room and was surprised to

find Brooke actually over her homework.

But when she got a closer look she could see that Brooke had been crying. „What happened to this?", she took the paper and one could see that it had

been ripped in many parts. „I...I ripped it.",

Brooke whispered. „Why?",Karen asked. „Because...because I am too dumb to understand any of this.", Brooke let her fall with the back on the bed and

closed her eyes with her hands. „Brooke.

Stop saying that to you." „Well it ist he truth." Karen smiled at the girl and realized again how low her self-esteem was and that Brooke needed more

help with that than with anything else. „C´mon then lets do it together.", Karen suggested. „Karen. It´s 2 am.", Brooke said „I know that´s why we

should start immediately. But tomorrow no ripping okay." Brooke nodded and was happy to get help.


	5. The boring life of Brooke Davis

**Merry Christmas to all of u! Hope you have a great time! Here is the next chapter. Reviews make me smile ;)**

One day Haley had to tutor her. „Hey Brooke." Brooke sat down besides her. „God Haley. So good to see you and just talk. Have you seen the new boy Julian. He is so..." Haley interrupted her.

„Brooke we are here to learn." „Just a minute, he..." „Brooke stop it. You already came late." Haley was surprised when Brooke rolled her eyes and focused on the paper in front of her. Without any

help she filled out everything and then kept on talking „He is so cute. And guess what. He is not in he basketball team but a mathlete. That is sooo..." Haley widened her eyes „Brooke!" „God Haley.

Please just let me talk a bit to you. It´s been three weeks since no party and friends. I am so bored."

„Brooke!", Haley said again. „What?". „You have zero errors.", Haley answered shocked and smiled. „Even...even the really really hard task you got right. It took me a day to figure out what the

teacher meant.", Haley said shocked. Brooke just shrugged her shoulder „Yeah well, I don´t have anything to do at home instead of reading those awful boring books. I even read this one about

Einstein.", she showed a thick book to Haley. Haley was shocked even more. „I am so proud of you.", Haley said and hugged Brooke. „Thanks but did you even listen to me? Focus Haley. This

Julian...", Brooke continued talking about Julian while Haley still looked shocked at the paper.

The next hour Brooke and the others had a test „Good luck Miss Davis.", said the teacher to her

knowing her ultimatum. „Well, luck has nothing to do with it.", Brooke said and filled everything as fast as possible. She had always been the first one to finish everything. She did not want to

change it because those were the minutes she could get out of class and do want she wanted to do. For instance into the internet or reading a magazine she was not allowed to read at home.

„Here.", Brooke gave the test to the astonished teacher. „Finished?", he asked. „Well, not everything. I finished it so that it should be a C.", she said honestly. „Why didn´t you finish the rest?", the

teacher whispered. Brooke just shrug her shoulders. „Don´t know. I only need a C.", she smiled and wanted to go out of the class but the teacher gave her the test again and said „Sit down and

finish it." Brooke rolled her eyes and worked very fast again so that she was still the first one. „Can I go out now please?", she asked smiling and the teacher nodded.

xxx

„So how was school you two?", Karen asked them curiously especially adressing the question to Brooke. „It was okay. But I think I did not good in that test.", Lucas answered honestly. „I don´t

know. The test was okay I guess. The teacher made me finish it all. Gosh Karen. It looks like I am the school project to all teachers and you.", Brooke laughed. „I go out playing basketball a bit.",

Lucas then said „Have fun broody", Brooke said after him. „So I go into my room. Learning, reading, learning, reading. The boring life of Brooke Davis.", she exaggerated.

Brooke looked at the clock and jumped up. How could she oversleep? She had never overslept without partying before. So she ran under the shower and got dressed as fast as possible and drove to

school. „I am sorry", she said when she entered class but was surprised when the others looked with wide mouthes at her „What happened?", she asked Lucas. Lucas smiled proudly at her and said

„Look at your table.". Brooke looked down and saw the grades of her last ten tests. „Please no D or F, please", she whispered and only scanned it for that. „Yeah, no D or F.", she showed the paper

to Haley and Haley just nodded in shock. Brooke took the list back in her bag. „So, the first ten tests are through. I am proud to announce that this time we have to bests in class." Brooke hated

that the teacher always wanted to remind the other who the best was. But she always was proud of Haley and while she chatted with Peyton about Julian and girlsstuff she did not hear her name.

„Brooke Davis.", Brooke turned around and said „Sorry." She shut up but the teacher said „Would you please come.", Haley was standing in front of the class and clapped her hands. „Okay." Brooke

did not know what happened „Congatulations. Brooke Davis." Brooke just smiled not knowing for what and said „Thanks."

xxx

The others went with Brooke to the cafeteria afterwards „I cannot believe that your the best in class. B. Davis. What happened to you?", Peyton took her hand on her forehead. „I am not. He just

said congratulations because I don´t have a D or F like normally.", Brooke said back. „You don´t get it right?", Nathan laughed hardly and took Brooke´s bag and took the paper with her grade.

„God Brooke. You only have one B and that´s in calculus." Brooke took it back from him „No way.", she said and looked at the paper but ran into Julian so that it fell to the floor. Julian took it and

looked at her grades. „Here Miss Brainie.", he smiled. Brooke blushed immediately and did not say a word instead she walked to her friends again „Ok. That was so embarassing. He called me Brainie.

How disgusting is that. It´s even worse than tutor girl.". The others laughed hard and sat down.

xxx

„Brooke.", Brooke looked up at Karen who smiled wildly. „Can I please see it?". Brooke did not know what Karen meant. „What?", she asked honestly. „C´mon. Your grades." So Brooke took it out

of her bag „But don´t freak out please. I just had no paper to draw so I...", Karen laughed hard when she saw clothes drawn besides her grades. „I am so proud of you Brooke.", she kissed Brooke

on her forehead. „Thanks." „Can I frame it?", Karen asked. „Frame it?", sometimes she did not understand how the brains of others worked. „Yes.", Karen answered. „Guess yes." „Great.", Karen

hung it on the wall in the kitchen. „Karen you do realize that this are only grades, right?", Brooke smiled while getting something out of the fridge. Karen hugged Brooke from behind and stood with

her in front of it „I think it´s another person in this room who does not realize the importance of this grades." „Well if you mean me that is wrong. I know exactly that I cannot get any D´s or F´s.

And I surely do realize the importance of getting back to the cheerleaders square" Brooke answered and then said „Okay, I continue reading this boring math book." Karen laughed „You do enjoy it a

bit right?". Brooke rolled her eyes „Brooke Davis will never enjoy a book. But there is this one mathlete who..." Karen pushed her into her room „Well, I don´t care why you do it as long as you do

it."


	6. Principal time

_**Hey everyone. I wish u a happy new year and hope that some of your dreams will come true! 2011 should be a great year with lots of opportunities! Here is my first next chapter in 2011. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it a bit and maybe I´ll even get you laugh a little :=)! See you soon!**_

„Brooke. C´mon wake up.", Lucas was shooking Brooke. He actually waited a moment before he woke her up and just sat there looking at her. She somehow looked so cute with some stuffed animals and books around her. Like usual she was somewhere cuddled under the blanket and lying crosswise on the bed. „C´mon cheery.", he shook her a bit heavier and finally she moaned. He remembered the time when she had come home late drunk and exhausted and it definitely had not been easy waking her up the next morning. Especially when she was not a morning person. „You won´t get back to your squad if you oversleep class." Brooke immediately shot up. „What? What time is it?", she jumped up and wanted to run to the bathroom. Unfortunately Lucas´ legs were in her way and she fell flat on the floor „Ouch." She moaned on the floor and trying to wake fully up. She had read the whole night and now she got the consequences of it. Lucas could not surpress his laugh. It was then both of them realized what she was wearing. She had been sleeping in her underpant and a shirt. It was not like he had never seen her before like that. In fact he had seen her in less clothes than this. To be exact with no clothes. But somehow at the moment it was weird. Both of them blushed a little and when he helped her standing up again she ran into the bathroom „I hurry up. Wait for me!". Lucas nodded and went out of her room.

„Morning mom.", he hugged Karen and sat down on the floor. Karen looked at her big son. Sometimes she missed him as a little kid. On the other side she liked having a grown up kid. „Morning honey.", she smiled back and then asked „Brooke´s up?". Karen got really used to the idea of Brooke living longer with them. She liked the girl very much and somehow her motherly feelings towards her grew every day. „Yeah. Just woke her up. Guess she is still showering."

„No she is not.", Brooke jumped happily into the room and sat besides Lucas.

„No wonder Haley calls you Tigger all the time. You´re like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh". Brooke kicked him lightly. „Well, your name is justified as well. Brooooody.", she mocked him. „Stop talking and begin eating Brooke.", Karen laughed. „Lucas. Could you help me today at the store.", Lucas looked disappointed at her mom. „Mom. I have plans today. Couldn´t you ask me at least a day before yesterday." „Well I am sorry honey. But...", she was then interrupted by Brooke „I´ll help you, pleaaaase.", she whined and looked up at Karen who looked in thoughts at her. „I don´t know. You miss are supposed to learn." Brooke looked sadly at her „But Karen I cannot learn all the time. I will do my homework and then I´ll help you. Please. Please. Please." Karen had to laugh. Some time ago Brooke would never have asked her to help. „Okay.", she then said but raised her finger „but if you don´t do your homework you´ll get into a lot of troubles." Brooke rolled her eyes „Don´t worry. Don´t worry. I know exactly what will happen when I won´t do my homework or get a D or a F or bla bla bla." Lucas laughed hard and Karen went over to her and kissed her on the head. „Well then look at the time.", she whispered which ended in Brooke widing her eyes and taking Lucas´arm „I cannot be late again. Run." Both of them ran out of the house as fast as possible. They entered the school restless. „Okay, see you later Broody.", Brooke shouted while running into her class.

„Good morning Brooke Davis.", the teacher said while she entered the classroom. „Mr. Principal wants to see you right now." Brooke looked shocked at the clock. Was she that late? No! But what did the principal want? She looked at Peyton who shrugged her shouled revealing that she herself had no clue. „Okay.", Brooke went out of the room again and to the office. Her heart was racing. Did she do anything wrong? She could not think of anything but knew that sometimes she ran into punishment without intending doing so. She had to breath deep until she was prepared to knock. Normally she was not afraid of entering his office but she remembered the last time and knew that getting back at the squad wasn´t anything easy.

„Hello Miss Davis.", the prinicipal said „Please sit down. We have to wait one minute for Mr. Baker." Brooke looked confused at him and sat down „Who is Mr...", she did not finish her sentence when Julian entered the room and sat down besides her. Her head was rushing and she could feel how her face blushed. Julian gave her a short nod and smiled. „Hello Brainie.", he whispered and then looked back at the prinicipal. „Good morning Mr. Baker. So now that we are all here we can begin." Brooke had no clue what happened and looked stunned at the prinicpal. „Mrs. Davis. I am very proud of you how your grades went up." Brooke blushed even more. This was the last situation she wanted to be in at the moment. „If you stay that great I even consider letting you going back at the squad before the holidays." „That would be gre..", she wanted to say but the prinicpal interrupted her again. „But since I don´t think that it´s a good idea to rush into it you have to do something else. Another activity beyond school. You know that we have a lot other than cheerleading." Brooke Just looked at him and did not say a word until she realized that this was not a rhetorical question. „Umm...yeah. I mean..." Julian and the principal shared a laugh which made Brooke hate the situation even more. She realized that her hands were sweating and she could not sit still. „So. I have looked at your grades lately. And I have to say that I am impressed how you improved." Brooke´s head was now read like a tomato. This was a situation she would never have imagined being in. Even not in her worst nightmare. Some person would feel flattered but she just felt awkward. „So I have decided to choose an activity for you." Brooke widened her eyes. „But isn´t it voluntary?", Brooke asked feeling very small because she knew that she would have no choice when it came to loosing being the head cheerleader. „Yes Miss Davis. It is. And you can change it if you really hate it. But at the moment I want you to take that activity. Mr. Baker will be so nice to show you exactly what they do." Brooke looked with her mouth opened at Julian. „So, I´ll see you two in two weeks and you´ll let me know whether I took the right choice for you Miss Davis, okay?". Julian nodded happily and shook his hand. Brooke on the other hand was still sitting on the stool in shock and not really realizing what just had happend „You may leave now Miss Davis.", the principal said smiling friendly at the girl.

Outside Julian was waiting for her „Okay Brooke. We start tomorrow at four. Take a look at this.", he gave her some papers „well, then we see us soon.", he smiled shyly at her and left a stunned Brooke in the hallway. Brooke looked after him for a while. Did this really just happened? She jumped up when the bureau opened again and the principal looked at her „Miss Davis, you do realize that you still have class?", he pushed her to her class and opened the door for her „You got her back.", he laughed at her teacher who laughed back when he looked at the stunned face of Brooke.

„So?", Peyton, Haley and Brooke were sitting at a table in the cafeteria. „What happened?". „I think I just dreamt. Guess who was with me in the office.", Brooke talked while eating. „Who?", Haley asked curiously. Brooke looked around wanting noone to hear it except of her two friends „Julian Baker." Peyton tried to think hard but then looked confused at her friend „Who is that?" Lately she did not have the time to talk much to Brooke because she was still grounded and at school Brooke seemed to hide from someone all the time. Maybe this was the reason? Haley on the other side rolled her eyes „Brooke´s loooover.", she laughed hard as Brooke choke. „He is not. He is just...just..." she tried to think of a word but could not find the right word. „Ah. You mean the one who called you Brainie?", Peyton looked even more confused at Brooke. Julian was by far not the person a Brooke Davis would fall for. „Don´t remind me of that P. Sawyer.", Brooke whispered. „So why was he with you in the office?", Haley looked at the other table were Julian was sitting with his friends. „It´s horrible. I have to do another activity instead of cheerleading and he...he...will. Oh nooooo.", Brooke widened her eyes in shock when suddendly realizing what the principal exactly had meant by that. „What? What is it?", Brooke had stopped eating and looked panicly at Peyton and Haley. „He is supposed to show me everything and...and tomorrow we´ll start." Peyton and Haley laughed hard and actually threw some food accidently on the floor. „Isn´t he...a..a... mathlete?", Peyton tried to talk through laughing. Brooke covered her face with her hands. „Yessssss."

„Well Brooke Davis. Maybe you won´t be the head cheerleader any more but the head mathlete." Brooke widened her eyes „I cannot do that. I...I... mean there is no way I...I can be a mathlete. I am no nerd. I...I am popular. I...well that is just not me." Peyton took her hands and tried to look seriously at her „I am so proud of you Miss Prom Queen...I mean Miss mathlete."

„Stop it.", Brooke slapped her softly „I...am not even good in math"

„Try getting used to it Brooke. You are good in math. You had the best grade the last time.", Haley answered a bit jealous. „I know. But only because I was forced to learn" Brooke defended herself. „ Yeah and all the others learned too but did not get an A plus." Brooke took her hand on Haley´s mouth „Don´t say it so loud." She looked around and hoped that noone had heard Haley. Suddenly someone tapped on Brooke´s shoulder. It was a girl in her age with big glasses and a corduroys. Brooke looked confused up at her. „Hey Brooke. I am happy that you´ll join us.", she smiled. Brooke nodded in silence and tried to fake a smile but when the girl was gone and she looked back at her friends who laughed lauged hard and Brooke began to whine „Gosh. It cannot get worse." Little did she know that there were lots of opportunities of getting worse.

**Will there be anything worse than joining the mathletes for Brooke?**

**Will Lucas approve of Brooke´s calf love for Julian?**

**Will Brooke ever get back to the squad?**

**Keep in touch to get the answers :)**


	7. The female head

**Yah! Just finished writing the next chapter. A bit longer than usual! Hope u like it!**

It was 1pm and Brooke was still in class chewing nervously at her pencil. In three hours she would have her first meeting with the mathletes. She could not believe how excited she was. Of course she wanted to meet Julian again but not in such an occasion. When she felt something hitting her back she turned around and looked on the ground. „Nervous?" was standing on the paper that had been thrown by her friend Peyton. Brooke took her pencil out of her mouth and wrote immediately back „Totally. In 2 hours I´ll be officially unpopular." She looked at the teacher in order to see whether he was looking and when he was not she threw it back to Peyton. Peyton had to laugh at her comment „But I cannot hang around with unpopular people!" She added and when Brooke read it Brooke rolled her eyes „Not funny.", she wrote back. Finally the class was over and they could talk loud. Haley walked over to them and put a hand on Brooke´s shoulder „Tigger. You are officially a nerd with good grades and enjoying math." Brooke immediately looked panickly around „Shhh. Don´t say that too loud. I don´t want anybody to know that I am going to be a mathlete. That is just too embarassing. I´ll keep it a secret. And I don´t enjoy math" Peyton and Haley nodded and went out of the class with her. „I have to go to the café at first. See you tomorrow." Lucas came to Brooke and took his arm around her „So. You´re officially my favourite mathlete.", he smiled down at her and teased her. „God Broody. Do you have to say that so loud? I am not proud of."

„Well you should be. And I brought you some gifts for your first meeting.", he gave her a box. Brooke looked suspiciously up at him and then opened it. „You idiot.", she could not help but laugh as well and ran after him when he ran away into the directon of Karen´s café. There he received a soft slap on his chest. „What? A mathlete should look like a mathlete." He took the glasses from her and put them on her. Those were big glasses. Like the ones from the 80s. Brooke raised her eyebrow and put them back into the box „There is no way I am going to wear this." She walked to Karen and hugged her tightly. They had become very close in the last time they had spend together. Almost like mother and daughter. „So my kids. Homework?", Karen asked her son and Brooke when they were eating together at the table. „Already done.", Brooke smiled up and looked into a fashion magazine while eating. But Karen took it away from her. „God Brooke. How many times do I have to tell you that noone should read while eating." Brooke rolled her eyes and smiled at Karen. „Like a hundred times but I am really, really nervous and I need stuff with pictures. Only pictures. No writing or anything else where I have to use my brain." Lucas could not help but laugh at her sweet comment. „But seems like you´re great in using your brain.", Karen said back proudly and went through Brooke´s hair. „When do you have to leave?" „At 3.30 pm" „Okay since you did your homework and later join the mathlete club you can do whatever you want until then." Brooke looked astonished up at her. It was the first time that Karen softened the grounding rule. „Woooah. Cool. Thanks.", Brooke smiled wildly and then thought of anything she wanted to do but all she could think about was the mathlete club. „I have to bake now. Come home straight after the club ok." Brooke nodded and then looked questioning at Lucas. „What?", he asked confused. „I wanna go shopping." „Sooo?", he asked again and did not quite get the point. „Peyton and Haley are occupied so you have to go with me."

„No way. I remember the time when you made me go shopping with you. It´s not fun time for me." „Pleeeeeeease Broody. Pleeeeeease.", she pleaded and hugged him tightly. „Cheery. I really don´t want to go right now." She sat down mad like a little kid and crossed her arms on her chest „It was more fun when we were together. Now I cannot threaten you with anything.", she whined. „So who is going with me?"

Karen was standing besides her and looked pleading at her son „Could you do me a great favour. I don´t have everything to bake, could you buy this.", she gave him a paper with the ingredients she needed. Lucas rolled his eyes but did not protest.

„God what is it with you people today. Everybody wanting anything from me.", he moaned and left. „So, what are you going to do honey?", Karen sat down besides Brooke who had her head rested in her hands. „I don´t know. I am not in the mood to read any fashion magazine now. I would like to go shopping but not alone." „I could come with you.", Karen suggested. She had someone at the café until four and some free time. Brooke looked suspiciously at her and did not know whether this was a good idea or not but then she agreed happily.

xxx

„So, what do you want to shop?", Karen asked while they walked through the shopping mal. „I don´t know. I always get inspired when I am here." Karen laughed at this comment and kept on walking with Brooke. „Let´s go in there.", Brooke took Karen´s hand and pulled her into the next clothing store. „Oh. I love that skirt.", Brooke said immediately when she saw a leather short skirt and showed it to Karen. Karen widened her eyes. „I don´t think that you should wear this Brooke. This suits you better.", she showed her a dress with many flowers on it. At first Brooke had to think a minute whether this was a joke or not. „I don´t think so. I would look like a little girl in that."

„God. Look at the corsage. It would perfectly fit with this skirt." Brooke smiled happily and went to the changing cubicle. Karen rolled her eyes and went after her. „Perfect.", Brooke went out of the changing room and showed it to a very shocked Karen. „What do you think? It will be perfect when I am going to tric...I mean..", Brooke realized that she was underaged and not allowed to go there. But she forgot the minor detail that she would get someone into big trouble if the police would catch her. „What?", Karen asked shocked and looked stunned at Brooke. „Nothing. Nothing. I mean I would like to go there. But only when I am older and...and.", but she was interrupted by a furious Karen. „Okay Brooke. I am really proud of you how you changed in the last time.", Brooke smiled hoping that this would be it „but there is no way I am letting you buy this clothes." „But...but Karen. I have my own credit card and I can buy what I want.", she said back not understanding what Karen wanted to say with it. „I don´t want you to see in this clothes. I already talked to your parents and they agreed."

„To what?", Brooke asked surprised but then an obviously older man came towards her and gave her a hug „Woah. Lisa Morry. You sure look hot. When will I see you at Tric again?", he asked her. Brooke felt flatered but then looked at Karen „Umm...well...", she did not know what to answer. „Excuse me. I am the owner of Tric.", Karen stood besides Brooke and gave him her hand. „Nice to meet you and perfect club. So Lisa. I hope we´ll see each other soon."

This was enough for Karen. „I am sorry but her name is not Lisa and she is a minor, so she will definitely have to wait some years until she can enter my club again." The man looked astonished at Karen „I am sorry mam. But she showed me her ID and I thought she would just look young for her age." Brooke was so blushed that the man knew Karen was telling the truth and left. „God Karen. Do you have to embarass me like this?", she was so furious at the moment and could not understand Karen´s fury. But she soon got to feel her rage. Karen pulled her back into the cabin and said „Get those clothes off of you. There is no way you can buy them. " Brooke did not protest and thought of buying them another time. Karen dragged her outside when she was dressed again and they went back to the café. Lucas could see the rage in his mom and asked „What happened?". But Karen dragged Brooke into a room and screamed „Sit down." Brooke did as she was told. „God Brooke. I am so furious at the moment." „But..."

„Don´t but me."

„How often have you been at tric?"

Brooke widened her eyes and did not know whether she should lie or not. But her pause told everything to Karen. „I could get into big troubles with minors hanging out there."

„But I had my fake ID, so noone would realize.", Brooke tried to defend herself but said the wrong thing.

„Give it to me!"

„What?"

„Your ID." Karen hold her hand out and waited.

„But..."

„Brooke Penelope Davis. Now.", she screamed at her. „No, give me your whole moneybag." Brooke widened her eyes and looked confused at her. „Why? That´s privacy Karen." Karen did not answer to that but looked mad at her which made Brooke shiver and whining „Karen. Pleeease. It is not that big a deal. I did not go there for a long time."

„That was because you are grounded." Karen reminded her „now give it to me."

Brooke hesitated a moment and then gave it to her. Karen took out her credit cards and fake ID. „This is now mine.", she said to her and went outside. Brooke went after her and run accidently into Haley „Oh hey. Sorry.", she said and then adressed Karen „but Karen I need my credit cards." Karen was rooted in the spot and turned around to Brooke. „Not any more. I don´t see Haley or Lucas having one. From now on you have pocket money like any other kid has." Brooke laughed „Pocket money? I don´t want pocket money. My parents gave me those and they are fine with it." „See that´s what I wanted to tell you before. They agreed to pocket money." Brooke´s mouth stood open and she did not know what to say. „But...how much?" „As much as Lucas gets."

Brooke did not know how much Lucas was getting and went to him and asked „Please don´t tell me it´s under 1000 dollars." She asked but looked into a shocked face. „Brooke. You can delete a zero and it´s even under that." „What?", she screamed. „But...but...how am I supposed to go shopping?" Karen sat down besides her and looked without saying anything at Brooke. Brooke shivered and did not know how to handle the situation. „Look. Karen...I...appreciate your...your way of caring. And...thank you. But you cannot take everything away from me. This is just not fair.", she whined and tried to get help from Lucas but he rolled his eyes and said „No way I am getting between you." And went away. „Chicken.", Brooke whispered and then Karen took her hands. „Brooke. You know that I love you, right." Brooke nodded and did not like the awkward situation cause she knew Karen had more to say than this. „So I have one quesion for you. Do you wanna leave One tree Hill and move back with your parents?" Brooke looked down and whispered „no."

„Okay, so you have to accept that I am the motherly figure to you right now until you´re through with school. Which means for a long time." Brooke widened her eyes.

„What do you mean by that?"

„Well, your parents told me that it is okay if you stay at my home till you´re graduated and I would love that." Brooke´s eyes suddenly had tears in her eyes. Although she had ambivalent feelings at the moment, something between fury and happyness. She hugged Karen tight „Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Karen had tears in her eyes as well „God. I am relieved that you want to stay with us."

„Of course I do.", Brooke answered happily.

„But Brooke. That also means a lot of changes. I know that you did great in the last time but it does not mean that when you´re back to not being grounded you can act like before." Brooke just nodded and tried not to talk back. She felt so grateful but on the other hand she just wanted her way back. „So, no fake ID, no credit cards." Brooke could not help but protest „But Karen. This is not fair. I had them my whole life long and I wanna go shopping."

„You can whine as much as you want Brooke. You won´t get them back." Karen said harshly knowing that the next time would be a lot more difficult than living only with her son. „No. No. No.", Brooke screamed „I am thankful for you taking me in but you cannot take everything away from me"

„Little miss. Do I have to remind you that you´ve been partying in tric as a minor or flirting with guys Brooke that are a hell older than you. I will..." Karen lost her patience now too. „Yeah. Yeah. You will send me away back to my parents if I don´t follow your stupid rules."

Lucas and Haley were standing some meters away from them and whispered to each other „Your mom will win." They smiled at each others and kept on listening.

„Brooke. There is one thing for sure. I will never send you away."

„But I´ll be 18 when I am a senior and can live on my own. So..."

„I don´t have to remind you that your birthday comes late and you´ll be the only one under 18 when you graduate.", Karen shouted back.

„But...what is the big deal Karen. Nobody ever caught me at tric and I only flirt with those guys."

Now Karen totally lost her temper „Do you know what can happen when you do such things. Don´t be so naive Brooke. I don´t want my girl to get into anything dangerous and this is dangerous Brooke. So I forbid you to ever go into my club." Brooke rolled her eyes in fury. „And don´t you roll your eyes on me young woman.", Karen pointed her finger at Brooke. It was then Deb entered the scene. Deb and Karen had become very close friends and helped each other whenever they could. „Honey, what is wrong.", she could see the fury in Karen´s eyes and the finger she was pointing at Brooke who looked mad as well. Karen hesitated a moment but then told her about the fight. Now two women were standing in front of Brooke and looking mad at her. Deb knew Brooke very well because when she was little Nathan and her were best friends and had many sleepovers.

She pulled Karen down on a chair besides Brooke and sat on the other side. The next minutes Brooke had to listen to Deb and Karen talking about responsibility to yourself and what could happen to a girl being drunk and alone in a club and everything else. At one point it was enough for Brooke and she just wanted to go away but this time Deb shouted at her „Brooke Penelope Davis. I promise you´ll regret leaving now." Brooke knew too well how Deb could be and sat down in the middle again and crossed her arms in front of her chest while trying to argument against the two older women but she did not stand a chance. „Brooke. That is so irresponsible. I forbid you to do that.", Deb said concerned. „You actually cannot forbid me anything.", Brooke said back furiously but Karen answered immediately „Actually she can. She is my best friend and I allow her to do so since I am your legal guridian right now." Brooke did not know what to answer.

„We can talk about it later again. You have to go to the mathletes now.", Karen looked at her watch and Brooke widened her eyes. She had totally forgotten about that. „Wow. You´re a mathlete. That´s great Brooke.", Deb touched Brooke´s shoulder softly but received a sharp answer „That is not great. That is humiliating. Even more humiliating than you two acting like two crazy mothers and screaming at me in a café. So thanks." Brooke stood up and took her bag „and now I have to overlive another miserable two hours." With that she closed the door loudly and left Deb and Karen high fiving each other in the café „Is she always that dramatic?", Deb smiled at Karen and Karen rolled her eyes „Always. But it is sweet." Deb nodded „I wish I had a daughter as well.", she pushed Karen´s arm softly and then went away.

xxxx

Brooke stood in front of the room 234 and did not dare to open the door. She could hear that some were already in the room and talking to each others. Why was she so excited? That was not normal for a Brooke Davis. She waited another minute until she could sense that someone was standing behind her. She turned around and screamed shocked when Julian was looking down at her „Sorry. Sorry. I did not want to frighten you.", he smiled at her shyly „You don´t have to be afraid. They are all nice." Brooke nodded and went after him when he opened the door. She was astonished. There were 12 people talking and laughing to each other. Twelve people she had never recognized but all of them must have at least one class with her. „This is...", Julian wanted to introduce her to them but someone interrupted him „Brooke Davis. Captain of the cheerleaders and boys hearts. Everybody knows her Julian", a boy interrupted. Julian just said

„Oh. Well then we have to introduce ourself. Well we´ve met before. So you know that I am Julian."

Julian then pointed to the other members „This is Hanna, Lisa, Laura, Jimmy, Hendrik..."

There was no way Brooke could remember all their names at once. „Just sit down and we show you where we´re at." Brooke nodded and sat down besides Jimmy who looked kinda shocked at her. „You´re friends with Mouth and Lucas, right?", she asked him sweet. Jimmy shook his head and whispered „Were.". Brooke could feel the sadness in this one word but did not ask further. „So, the principal gave us this new math book for our competition. Has anybody read it already?",Julian asked into the group. He knew that Brooke had read it already because he had seen it falling out of her bag when they had collapsed into each others one time. But Brooke was far away from revealing it. „Brooke?", he asked softly. „Umm...yeah. I...well. I am at the last chapter.", she revealed embarassed. „Cool. How is it?", Hanna asked her but Brooke was not prepared for such a question or somebody thinking that this was cool. „Well it is okay." „Did you do the test to each chapter as well?", Hendrik asked her excited while touching his glasses all the time. „Umm...yes." „And?", now Laura looked admiring at her. „And what?", Brooke felt like in a police interrogation and not very well. „They want to know how much you scored.", Jimmy helped Brooke „Ah. Well. Umm...zero errors.", she answered honestly. „God Brooke. You must be a genius.", Lisa answered immediately and already being on the „Admiring Brooke Davis list". Brooke had to laugh hard. „No no. I am far away from that."

„But this book is not even for high school kids."

„I want Brooke to be our female head at the game." Someone then suggested. Brooke could only look from one person to another and did not know what actually was happening.

„Yeah, she would be the best for it. I mean she had the best test results lately and she already read the book." Julian then suggested „Well maybe we should at first do all a test or? I don´t want to rush into anything." He handed out some papers to everyone. „Finish it as fast as possible." Brooke just looked astonished at the paper and then back to the others. „What is a female head?", she thought. Jimmy realized that Brooke was not answering any question but in her dreams, so he pushed her a little. „Hey cheerleader queen. Fill it out.", he smiled at her and Brooke smiled back. She focused on the paper and was surpised how easy the quesions were. She was finished at first. Hendrik then went to the black board and showed the answers to every question but there were some quesions noone understood. Of course Julian had the answers on another paper but did not understand it either. „Brooke. Could you explain it to us?", Jimmy asked while looking at Brooke´s paper „cause she got the right answer." Brooke nodded and went to the blackboard. „Well. It´s not so difficult. You just just have to substract 1 from each of the three expression and divide each by 2, so k will me more than one and less than 10 and..." Brooke kept on talking in front of them. When she was finished she was somehow relieved and looked into many astonishing faces. „Wow. You should have joined us earlier instead of cheering all the time." Brooke laughed shyly „Well, I am good at cheering.", she said back and Julian answered „and you´re defnitely good at math."

So who wants Brooke to be the female head in the competition. All of them raised their hands „Maybe we will win this time. We really have a chance with such a brainie.",someone said but Brooke interrupted them „Wait. Wait. Wait. I don´t know what that means." She asked into the smiling round.

„Every year there is a big mathlete competition between the schools. This year it is at ours and we definitely want to win it."

„A what?", Brooke looked surprised. „Well two groups against each others. Some questions and a little audience. Not so many like when you´re cheerleading.", Jimmy added and smiled at her. „But...but what meand female head." „Umm...you and I are going against the other team. I´ll be the male head and you will be the female one. And we have two jokers and can ask someone out of our team if we defnitely don´t know the answer."

Brooke widened her eyes. „No. I am sorry. But I cannot do this.", Brooke panicked a bit. „Don´t worry. With your skills we will beat the other team.", Hendrik answered proudly and was prepared for their sad faces and laughed. „Why can´t you do this Brooke?", Julian looked down at her with his big eyes and a smile she could not resist. Of course she could not tell him the truth that it would be too embarassing and ruin her popularity and she wants never to be seen as a mathlete so she said „I have stagefright." All of them looked shocked at her. „Oh that´s not a problem because Julian will be on your side", Jimmy said and made her blush a little.

The time was up and everybody left the room. Brooke walked out of it slowly, somehow in trance. „I am glad you agreed female head", Julian said to her and she just nodded and went back home. „How could my life change so fast?", she asked herself.

**Hello everybody. This was the next chapter. I know that many want this a Brucas one but I am not quite sure yet what it will be. I like Brulian as well and at the moment Brooke too. I will focus more on the Karen-Brooke relationship and she has to help her through hard stuff in some chapters later...thanks for reviewing and reading. You always motivate me a lot to keep on writing!**


	8. The competition

Lucas went into Brooke´s room and could not help but burst out into laughing. „Hey pretty girl. Why are you brooding?" Brooke looked up and was happy and rolled her eyes. „I am not. It is just...I am the female head." Lucas now sat down on her bed with her and laughed hard. „Brooke. I know that you have a female head." She punched him into his chest „No. I am going to be the female head." He looked confused at her. „Maybe you´ve become to intelligent for me but I have no clue what you are talking about."

„It means that I have to lead the mathlete competition with Julian. God Broody. I cannot do that." „And why is that so?", he asked carefully „I thought you liked Julian a lot?" Brooke blushed. It was weird hearing that out of her ex-boyfriend´s mouth. „I do but I don´t want to be on a big stage and answering stupid mathematic questions. I will make a fool out of myself and I am not as good as everybody assumes. What if I forget how to speak? Or what if I ruin everything? Or what if I...", Lucas immediately interrupted her by putting a finger on her soft mouth. He wished that this was not only his finger but he knew that they were friends. Just friends. „Stop rambling Brooke. You could start learning for it now instead of thinking of horrible scenarios. C´mon let´s look at the book together." Lucas took the book into his hands and tried understanding anything but did not. „Ooookay. No way I am going to understand this. Could you explain it to me?". She nodded and began talking. After it seems like eternity he looked admiring down at her. „See. That was not so bad. Seems like you don´t have to learn at all cause you already know all that stuff.", he took his arm around her should to encourage her. „C´mon Brooke. You´ve been through so many stuff. You´ll do it easily. And noone will be there except of those mathlete´s parents." Brooke nodded sadly and let her head rest on his shoulder. „God Broody. What have I gotten into?" Both of them laughed and then he suggested „Wanna watch a movie?". She looked surprised up at him „You do realize that I am grounded like forever?" „Nah. Mom won´t be here for at least another three hours." „I don´t know. What if I get caught." Lucas had to laugh again. „Wow. What happened to my Brooke who did not care getting caught at all." „Yeah well, your Brooke realized that being grounded sucks and only playing by the rules would help getting back to normal. Or at least to almost normal." She reminded herself that all her credit cards were gone. „Fine. It was just a suggestion.", he whined and then added „I am really glad that we can talk about stuff Brooke." Brooke looked surprised at him and recognized the position they were in. They were laing on the bed now and she in his arms. It was just so normal. „Um...yeah. Me too. I hope you are okay with me living with you and your mom. I mean if not I can always..." „Of course I am. I actually got used to it and like having you around all the time." She nodded jumped up again. „Okay. I changed my mind. Let´s watch a movie." He nodded proudly and walked after her into the living room. „How about the time traveller´s wife with Rachel McAdams?", she suggested. „Never heard of it but okay. Guess this will be a love movie again, right?" „I´ve not seen it myself yet but I love Rachel McAdams.", Brooke jumped onto the couch besides Lucas and smiled happily.

xxx

One and a half hour later she was sobbing. „That was too sad. Now she has to wait her whole life? That´s not fair." Lucas could not help but smile how sweet Brooke was when it came to sad movies. „Brooke. It´s just fictional. This won´t happen in real life." „How do you know? Maybe there is somebody out there who has to deal with this stuff and we don´t know it? Maybe..." Suddenly Lucas jumped up and switched the tv off when he heard the front door. Karen immediately entered the living room to see the two sitting on the couch. „Have you been crying Brooke?", she askd worried and received a small nod. „I...I made her cry.", Lucas tried to come up with a lie but Brooke raised her eyebrown. „Right", she answered when Lucas looked into her face. „What did you do?", Karen asked suspiciously and sat down between them. „I accidently walked over her foot." Karen smiled and caressed Brooke´s back. „Right. Well next time you two watch a movie you should hide the DVD as well and not only turn off the tv." Karen had to laugh at their shocked faces. „Mothers know everything.", she gave both of them a kiss and then went back into the kitchen „and by the way. I am so proud of you Brooke. The female head. That´s fantastic." Brooke jumped up in shock. „Wait. How do you know?" „I was at school today talking to the principal and he was already arranging those posters." Brooke´s eyes widened even more „What...what posters?" „Well, the ones for the competition. You and the other boy were on it." Brooke had to sit down from the shock. „I think many will come. Deb wants to see you too." „Mom. Brooke does not want anybody to come. She is not really proud of that.", Lucas got a mad look from his mother „But she should be." „Oh god. I cannot go to school tomorrow. This will be sooooo embarassing.", Brooke whined „how do I get sick again? Please Karen. Please. Make me stay at home. I´ll do anything. Please." But Karen rolled her eyes and just kissed her forehead „Nope. You´re not sick and I don´t see any reason why you should stay at home." Brooke let her head fall on the floor and pretended crying loud. „Why is life so mean to me lately. I did not do anything."

xxxx

The next day Brooke went to school with Lucas and totally hiding herself. „Brooke. You look ridiculous." Brooke did not listen to him and suddendly pushed him in front of her. „Oh no. There is Rachel and the others. Please they must not see any of the poster." Lucas laughed out and took her hand and pulled her along. „Brooke Davis. Would you please stop acting like a child." „But Lucas. It´s embarassing. I am the popular Brooke. Not a geek." „Yeah and you will be. Just turn it into something cool." „And how am I supposed to do that? Math is not anything cool. I cannot make it popular." She rolled her eyes and took on her basecap to hide herself even more. „We will see." With that he left her alone and went over to Haley. Brooke was shocked when she saw the first poster „God. I look like an idiot on that.", she ripped it off the wall immediately when she felt somebody trying to stop her from doing so. She looked up right into the face of Julian. „Why are you doing this Brooke?", he asked confused. „Um...I..." but he just laughed at her. „Sorry. It was not my idea. I am not really fond of it either." She nodded silently and looked after him when he left her again. „God. He is so cute.", she thought but was ripped out of her dream by Peyton who hugged her from behind. „So this is now my very best friend. A geek. I cannot believe it." Brooke rolled her eyes and put her hand over Peyton´s mouth „Look. Whenever you see a poster I want you to rip it. There is no way that the cheerleaders or anybody popular can see me on ayn of it." „Well. Too late. The whole gym is full of it and we all decided to come to see you loose.", Rachel was now standing in front of Brooke. „Oh shut up Rachel." Rachel just laughed and took her arm around Brooke. „C´mon slut. It´s just a joke. I really want to see you there and showing that cheerleader have a brain as well." Suddenly the other cheerleader surrounded her „Yeah. It´s our new campaign. Our captain is smart. That´s why we hung up all those posters.", Bevin smiled proudly at Brooke. „You did what?" she looked at Peyton questioning but obviously Peyton had no clue. „But...thanks for your support. But I don´t want to be on that stage. I..." „Brooke. You are the stage person." „But I have to answer questions. Live." Brooke shivered at the thought and went with them into the school.

xxx

It was the day of the competition. Brooke was standing besides Julian and her legs were shaking as hell. „Brooke. You don´t have to be afraid.", he smiled down at her and touched her shoulder. „Have you seen how many people are out there. My whole team. Every person I know at school and even more. Even Dan Scott is here. You said that this is not a big event usually." He nodded but then apologized „Well, normally it isn´t but now that you´re the female head it´s somehow popular. " „But I did not do anything." „Yes you did." She looked confused up at him „Well. Umm...you´re Brooke Davis." She nodded and then went outside to the pult where they had to stand. „Brooke. Don´t be afraid ok.", he took her hand a moment and squeezed it. She looked into the audience and could see her friends smiling at her and even whistling to her. Rachel and Bevin hold up a poster that said „Our cheercaptain is smarter than you." She blushed even more when she saw Lucas in the front row. She shortly waved to him and then concentrated on the questions. She could answer the first question easily. Even the second and third. But the others from the other school were good as well. Unfortunately Julian had some answers wrong so that he was dismissed and Brooke had to go against the others alone. She had her jokers left and decided to take one, when she did not know the answer. „Umm...I take..", she did not know who the answer knew but thought that it would be wisely to take „Jimmy." Jimmy looked shocked up at her and went on the stage. „I don´t know the answer", he whispered and the point went to the others. Only two questions left. If Brooke was faster she would win. Brooke tried to concentrate hard. She tried not to think of the audience or any outcome. The first question went to Brooke. And finally, when she responded to the last question the quizzmaster screamed so loud that she screamed in shock shortly. „Brooke Davis´ team is the winner." Now she was holding a big trophy and so many people were hugging her. So many people she did not even know. „We won. We won.", she screamed at Julian and jumped up to hug him. He turned her around like a little child and smiled happily. „Thanks to you.", he gave her a short kiss on the cheek but this was enough to make her blush like a tomato. Of course her cheerleaders ran up to the stage and screamed hysterically. She was happy that she had got so much support. Lucas then went up as well and hugged her tightly „See pretty girl. You made it popular." He gave her a kiss on the cheek as well and Brooke was stunned that she blushed again. But she had no time to think about it because Karen was running towards her and hugging her tightly „Oh my god. I am so proud of you.", she received so many cheekkisses from her that her cheek was now full of lipstick´s imprints. „Thanks Karen." „So let´s go celebrating now. You can invite all your friends to the café. Everything is prepared.",Karen said and looked into a surprised face. „What?", she asked astonished. „C´mon. We have to celebrate that.", Karen took Brooke´s hand and finally they walked to the café. Everybody was there. Her cheerfriends. The ones from the mathlete club. In this moment Brooke was so happy. „Muuusic", Mouth screamed and they all began dancing.

xxx

„Thank you so much Karen.", Brooke, Karen and Lucas were walking home after a long night. „that was the bestest party ever.", she danced happily around and then ran a bit to jump on Lucas´ back. „Brooke Penelope. One glas of sparkling wine has such an effect on you." Brooke giggled „Well I have not drunken for a looooog while." Karen laughed out loud „I am glad you liked it honey." Finally they were at the house and Brooke hugged Karen again „You´re the best mom one kid can wish for." she smiled. „How about a movie?", Karen suggested „I know it is late but tomorrow you don´t have school." „That would be great mom." Lucas answered. „Then get you PJ´s and come into the living room" Brooke and Lucas nodded and finally slumped on the couch with their blankets. Brooke was sitting in the middle of them and could not stop smiling. „God I was soooo excited." „Yeah. I´ve seen your legs shivering from down there.", Lucas laughed at received a punch. „How about Avatar?" Both of them nodded and as soon as the movie started Brooke fell asleep. She was so exhausted from all of it. Her head was resting on Karen´s lap and her legs on Lucas´. „Guess she was even more nervous than we expected.", Karen laughed and went through her hair.

**Thanks for reading! Would love to see you pushing the button and writing me what you think:**

**1) Brucas or Brulian?**

**2) Schoolshooting included and Karen helping the kids?**

**3) More Karen moments?**

**4) Any other suggestions?**

**Thanks!Thanks!Thanks**


	9. Schoolshooting

_**Hello everyone. Sorry that I am not going to update as fast as ususal, but I have to learn a lot now til april. I´ve still not decided whether this will be Brucas or Brulian. I love Brucas but I kinda love Brulian like on the show as well. I am excited as well how I will end it...thanks for your great support. As you know it means a lot to me. I´ve added the schoolshooting like promised in this chapter-but a bit different!Hope you enjoy it and tell me what you think! **_

„Hey Jimmy. Everything ok with you?", Brooke asked Jimmy who sat besides her. His glasses were destroyed and he had a blue eye. „Perfect. Everything is perfect." He said harshly back and looked away. Brooke did not know what to asked so she decided to focus on the class.

Brooke was actually enjoying being in the mathlete club. She started liking being apreciated for more than her looks and she liked spending time with Julian. In fact Julian liked spending time with her as well. Today it was the first time that he dared to ask her „Hey Brooke. Do you want to go to the cinema on the weekend?"

Brooke blushed a bit but loved the idea. „I would love to but I am still kinda grounded." „Oh. That sucks.", he smiled down at her and then did the unexpected. He suddenly kissed her on the mouth. In the school. Right in the hallway. He loved childly at her when he saw her shocked but happy face. „Guess then I have to do this here." Brooke blushed and had a big smile on her face.

Lucas was standing only a few metres away from them and his heart made a jump when Julian kissed Brooke. His first instinct was to punch him but he did not do it. Instead he went away and did not look back.

At the end of the day Brooke was going home with Lucas very happy. She did not tell Lucas about the kiss. Not because she did not want to or hide it but she somehow thought that this would be awkward. Lucas was her ex-boyfriend and although she knew that he had no feelings for her any more she could just not talk to him about other men.

Late at night she dreamt about Julian and hoped that this was just the beginning of a great relationship. Unfortunately she did not know that tomorrow would be a day that would change everything.

xxxx

The next day:

„I am so sorry Haley.", Brooke sat between Haley while Haley was crying. She felt really bad for her. She knew how important grades were for her and took her hand „Look. I did not mean to do it okay.", Brooke appologized but Haley pushed her softly „God Brooke. You should hear yourself. I am proud of you. I am just diappointed in me." Haley smiled while she wished her tears away.

„So, your the best this year. No big deal.", Haley lied.

„I know that it is a big deal for you. I wish I was not. It´s not important for me. I really just want to go back to the squad." Haley smiled at Brooke´s answer. „Brooke Davis you are weird.", Haley then smiled and got up and took Brooke along with her „Why?", Brooke asked.

The next thing happened to fast. Brooke could see the pupil with a gun and pushed Haley aside as fast as possible. Haley ran outside and thought that Brooke was behind her. But unfortunately Brooke had run into a room nearby instead of out and sat down on the floor and hugged herself. She did not dare to make a move but screamed when someone entered the room after what seemed like an eternity.

„Hello Brooke Davis.", Jimmy said to her and her eyes widened a bit. „Jimmy?", she answered confused and afraid at the same time. He sat down besides her, very near, and began to cry. Brooke did not know what to do but took his hand and pushed it once. „It will be okay.", she smiled weekly at him but was not prepared for his movements. She received a hard slap with his gun that split her lip open immediately. „Ouch", she said and touched her bleeding lip. She could not believe that Jimmy had just slapped her. She looked up into Jimmie´s eyes and could see his fear as well. He was so angry and sad at the same time. Not the Jimmy she had seen at the competition.

„You bitch. How can you say that. Your life is the best life one can imagine. How can you say to me that it will be okay? You know how people treat me. They treat me worse than they treat a dog. And since you took me as your fucking jocker I went up on the looser ranking. Thanks to you" he walked around the room and then took her by her shirt and pushed her against the wall. Her back hurt like hell when it crashed with the wall and her feet did not even reach the ground. „You don´t even know my last name", he screamed into her face and pushed her hard on the ground. Somehow Brooke felt sorry for him. „Yes I do.", she whispered. „So?", he screamed and pointed the gun at her. She shivered immediately. He would not really shoot her? „Jimmy Edwards. Please don´t", she tried to calm him down but he pulled the trigger and shot into the wall just a few inches away from her. Brooke let out a scream of scare and jumped up. She looked panicly at the wall and could not believe in what a situation she was in.

„So fine. You know my name but only because you´re now that popular mathlete", he said and went down crying harder pulling his hands in front if his face.

„I knew it before that. You were friends with Mouth and Lucas." Brooke looked sadly at him. He screamed but a bit softer than before „Yeah, until you came along and made them popular." Brooke widened her eyes. „I...what?", she asked.

„You pulled them away from me. I was too uncool for your clique and I had no one to talk to at school. You did not even look at me.", he revealed. Brooke answered immediately „I am sorry. I did not realize that you feel this way but those were never my intentions. I would never do such horrible things" Jimmy looked sadly at her and nodded „I know. It´s not your fault. And..and...since you´re in the mathlete club you showed me the difference but...but why did you have to pick me as a joker and why did somebody show the time capsule? Nobody cares about my feelings. You cannot understand this. Your life is perfect. You have a bunch of people who care for you. " Brooke whispered „My life is not perfect" He looked at her. „Okay, then tell me what it is before I kill you.", he sat besides Brooke and looked at the ceiling while still crying. Brooke´s cheek were wet as well. Somehow she felt that he was not going to kill her but she could also see his rage and knew that people sometimes acted on affect. He promptly pushed the gun into her stomach and said „Start."

Brooke´s tears were falling down her chin. „I...I dont know. I have no parents that care for me. I´ve seen them two years ago. I am not allowed to be at the cheerleading squad and..." Jimmy pushed the gun harder into her side. „That are problems?", he laughed „I get punched by assholes. I have no friends and I am invisible to anyone." Brooke felt so guilty at the moment.

„You´re not. I see you.", she said honestly not knowing what to do. „Yeah right. Now. But it is too late." „ God Jimmy. We have some classes together, not only the mathlete club. You were always better than me in every of it. You always draw in your little book and I think those are good ones.", she whispered „God Jimmy. We were togehter in kindergarden." She looked at him and although she felt so afraid she took his hands. Jimmy´s eyes widened. He would have never guessed that the Brooke Davis would pay so much attention to those details. „Are...are there more outside?", Brooke asked softly and Jimmy could feel her fear. „No, just me.", he cried. „Brooke." „Yes?" „What have I done?", he asked. „I will never get out of this again. I will get into jail."

„No, you won´t...you..", Brooke had no time to react when Jimmy put his gun against his head and pulled the trigger. A loud sound was coming out of it and the next thing she could see was the blood on the wall and he fell down on her lap with his head. She could not even scream. She stayed sitting on the ground with his blood flooding on her shirt and jeans. It was a warm sensation. She hated it and knew that she would remember this for all her life. At first Jimmy´s body made some fast movements but then it was not moving any more.

Lucas was running around the building when he heard the next shot. His pretty girl was somewhere in there and he had to find her. He did not care whether this would be dangerous. She had to be safe. He looked into every room but could not find her. Finally he saw the closed door. „Brooooke. Are you in there?", he screamed and then opened the door. He was shocked what he saw. Brooke was sitting on the ground. Blood was in her face and all around her body. At first he thought that it was her blood but then he saw Jimmy lying dead in her lap. Brooke did not cry. She just stirred. She did not even flinch when Lucas took his hand on her cheek. He wanted to move Jimma off of her but she protested „No. You´ll hurt him.", she said in a sad voice. Lucas did not understand what she meant. Somehow she seemed to be in shock. „Brooke. He is dead." he said to her and wanted to get her up but she protested again „No. He is not.", she whispered again and again. She did not even realize that she was now in Lucas arms and he was carrying her outside. But suddenly she let out a loud scream and ran back into the building. Karen had seen Lucas with Brooke in his arms and how Lucas and Brooke fell to the ground when Brooke suddenly protested and fought him. She hesitated not one minute and ran after the girl that was like a daughter for her. Lucas and Karen were shocked when Brooke was shaking the dead body. „Wake up. C´mon wake up. I am sorry Jimmy. I am sorry. I did not mean to. Wake up.", she shook him again and again but he was gone long time ago. Karen hugged Brooke from begind and wanted to push her outside but Brooke was not letting anybody near her or Jimmy. „Leave me alone.", she screamed and pushed Karen back. „Jimmy. C´mon. Please. I beg you. Please.", she shook him again and Lucas and Karen did not know what to do. But suddenly the paramedics and Swat team stormed into the building. They had to get the dead body and people who were hurt. „No don´t you dare touch him.", Brooke screamed as they wanted to lay a blanket over Jimmy. Brooke tried with all her might to fight them off but the doctors could see that she was in a shock state and hold her back. Actually one sedated her, so that she would calm down. Lucas finally could carry her outside. Karen was holding her small hand that was convered in blood. How could a day end like this?

Of course the paramedics checked her through but other than emotionally she was not hurt bad. The bruisings would go away soon. Karen and Lucas had insisted to take her home. Lucas knew that Brooke hated hospitals.

Finally she was half awake in the kitchen. She looked down at her hands and then at Karen who was hugging her tight. „Blood.", Brooke whispered the whole time. Karen took a sponge and wished it away from her face and hands. „C´mon sweety. We get it off of you.", she took her hand and went with her to the bathroom. „But that´s the only thing that is left of him.", Brooke said sadly and looked into the mirror. Karen unstrapped her clothes carefully. She was shocked to see that not only her shirt was soaked in blood, in fact her white underwear was now red. „Do you want to take a bath now?" Karen asked softly but Brooke did not react at all. She just looked into space, so Karen decided to help her. She unstripped her totally and helped her into the tube. She washed her hair and body and finally Brooke looked up at her with big sad eyes. „He shot himself Karen.", Brooke whispered and began to cry hard. Karen did not care that her movement pulled herself into the water fully closed. She had to hug the younger woman. It took a while that Brooke stopped crying. Karen stayed in the tube with her the whole time and hold her tight and caressed her back. Finally she wrapped her in a towel and Brooke took on her pyjamas. She felt exhausted and just wanted to sleep. „Can...can you stay?", Brooke whisperd to Karen. She was afraid to be alone. She was afraid to see the blood again and hear the shoot. „Of course sweety. Just let me change too." Brooke nodded and went with Karen into her room. There she laid down on the bed and was happy when Karen hold her so tight that she felt safe. Lucas opened the door slowly and looked into his mother´s room. He was glad that Karen was with Brooke. She could handle the situation better. But he felt the anger, shame, fear and sadness as well. Jimmy had been a friend of him and his pretty girl looked so lost. Karen looked at her big son and saw the sadness in his eyes. It was obvious that he had been crying as well. She held the blanket besides her up and Lucas came into her room as well and laid down snuggling a little closer to his mom. He could not remember the last time he had done this but at the moment he needed it. He looked down at the sleeping figure besides his mother and took his arm over his mother to feel Brooke as well. They stayed in this positon for a long time until Karen had to go to the toilet after some hours. Somehow Brooke woke up a minute later and began to scream. „Noooo. Don´t.", she did not wake up from her nightmare and tossed around until Lucas hold her tight against his chest and whispered words into her ears. „I´ll protect you Brooke. For ever." Karen got back into bed on the other side besides Brooke, so that Brooke was in the middle of Lucas and her. She caressed her back again and could see the big bruise on her back. She could not imagine what Brooke was going through but she knew she would help her every second and her son as well.


	10. AN

**Hey guys!**

**This is not an update (Sorry!). I just wanted to say thank u for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. Unfortunately I´ve been sick and now I have to study a lot...**

**I am so sorry. I know how it is to wait too long for another chapter...**

**But I just wanted to say that I did not forget any of my stories and I will continue writing after the exam!**

**Thank u so much for waiting!**


	11. Letters from the heart

_**Hello everyone. I am back! My exam is over and I don´t have to learn for a while. I hope that I get some of you to continue reading this story and of course I would love to hear what you think. I always apreciate your ideas and thoughts! So...I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!**_

Brooke was lying in her bed and felt horrible. The images of Jimmy killing himself were coming every second and the tears were falling down her cheek. She felt so ashamed and guilty at the same time. She had not realized that Jimmy was in so much emotional pain and somehow she felt like she had added even a bit of that pain.

Today would be the last day of school which meant that the summer was starting and that she was a free girl again. No grounding, no detention and no math club. She thought about Julian. They had been dating for a while and everything went great but somehow she just wanted noone at her side. She did not know that Julian would tell her somethig today that would end their starting relationship.

Karen and Lucas were sitting in the kitchen and talking to each others. „Is she up?" „No, she´s still in my bed.", Karen said sadly.

Lately Brooke could not sleep alone and Karen heard her crying at night and waking up screaming, so Karen had decided that it would be better to have her near her. Brooke was like a daughter for Karen and she wanted her to be save. „Mom. Do you think she´ll get better?", Lucas had never seen Brooke like this. She did not talk much any more, she did not enjoy other people around her and she definitely did not enjoy leaving her bed. All she wanted was being under her blanket and forgetting everything.

„Yes, she will. But it takes time. She had seen such horrible things and somehow I feel like she is blaming herself" Lucas looked stunned up at his mother. Blaming herself? Why? He could not understand this statement but then decided to get Brooke to come to school. He tiptoed into his mother´s room and could see that Brooke was under the blanket. At first he thought that she was sleeping but then he could hear her sobs. He carefully took off the blanket and her look just broke his heart. She looked so vulnerable and small.

„Brooke. We have to go.", he whispered and sat down besides her but when he wanted to whip a tear away she shrugged and stood up and went into the bathroom. It was hard for all of them. Brooke did not even want to be touched any more. Within a minute she came out of the bathroom and looked like she had never. She was wearing a big sweatshirt and a jeans and a cap. She definitely did not look like the Brooke Davis he knew. Not that she looked bad but she looked more like a tomboy and that was something Brooke never had been.

Without talking she went into the kitchen and wanted to leave to go to school. But Karen took her arm and almost forced her to get hugged. Brooke stiffened up. On the one hand a hug was healing on the other hand it reminded her that Jimmy would never again get a hug in his life.

„You have to eat.", Karen pushed Brooke in the chair but Brooke only looked down at the fruits and did not touch anything. At first Karen wanted to force her but in this moment she decided not to. Brooke was too broken and yelling at her was the last thing she needed.

On the way to school Lucas and Brooke did not talk at all. In fact Lucas tried but she did not answer.

„So pretty girl. It´s our last day which means you´re free again. Isn´t that great?", he looked down at her but she did not even flinch or care to answer, so he continued. „Julian and you will have lots of free time.", he hated himself for saying that but he wanted her to feel good and Julian made her feel good. He was a nice guy and Lucas accepted him. „And you have great grades. You´re better than Haley this year which means you´could be a tutor next year." It went on like this until they entered the school.

Brooke stood in front of it and began to shiver. She had flashbacks of the shooting moment, of Jimmy´s funeral and of his dead body lying on her and making weird movements.

Suddenly she felt someone hugging her from behind. She recognized him immediately. His lips kissed her cheek and hold her tight. She did not even have the chance to get away. So she turned around and looked up into his beautiful eyes. „Julian", she whispered. He could see that she was about to cry and hold her tight. Finally she let go and cried in his arms. Lucas could just watch this scene. Somehow he felt relieved and thanked Julian but on the other hand he was jealous. So he left the scene and decided to look for his friends.

„Shhh. It´s going to be okay.", he knew that he would break her heart today again and felt so embarassed but what could he do? His parents had made that choice.

„I...I...am afraid.", Brooke whispered but he could hear her and hold her head and put down her cap to look into her beautiful eyes.

He kissed her lips softly „You don´t have to be. There is noone with a gun at school any more and..." but Brooke interrupted him. „Nooo but...everyone will hate me...and I can understand that." Julian looked confused down at her. „Noone hates you Brooke. Why should they?" „Because...because I let him kill himself...I was weak and...and now he...he is...", she could not say the word dead but started crying hard while Julian hold her tight again.

„Brooke. It is not your fault. Don´t you dare think that. Noone could have stopped him except the police." Brooke tried to believe that but the thought was so deep in her mind. Finally they entered the school step by step and went into class. Everyone was looking at Brooke. Not because they thought it was her fault but because they felt pity with her. She looked so vulnerable and small at the moment and everyone knew that she had been with Jimmy when he had shot himself.

Brooke hid herself under her baseballcap and wanted to vanish at the moment. Unfortunately Julian was in another class and her friends were not there at the moment. But then she heard Peyton and Haley entering the classroom and immediately she felt two friends hugging her tightly. They did not say anything but this hug showed everything. Although Brooke was not capable of hugging them back she felt a bit saver.

„So everyone. This is your last day of school before summer. We all know that it´s horrible what you had to go through. Jimmy Edwards is not under us any more." Haley and Peyton looked at Brooke. Brooke was hugging herself very tightly and biting on her lip, so that blood was falling down a bit. Peyton wanted to hold her hand but Brooke did not let her. Brooke felt like she was not worth it. She was the one that had let him killed himself. Nobody else but she. And now the teacher had to talk about it again.

„I know that you all feel lost and helpless. Today will be a different day than usual. We won´t talk about this whole year but about this incident and I want each one of you to write on this paper what you feel. It will be anonymous."

Everyone looked at the white paper and had to decide what to write. Brooke looked at the paper and did not know what to do. There were so many emotions inside of her. The teacher stood behind her and took a hand on her shoulder which made Brooke look down a bit more. „Take your time honey.", the teacher said to her. Honey? Mrs. Anderson had never called her honey. In fact Brooke thought that she hated her. After two hours everyone had given their wrtings to Mrs. Anderson. They still had two more hours and Mrs. Anderson told them that she was going to read everything to them, which Brooke had not expected and cursed herself for what she had written earlier.

Brooke knew that she was about to loose her strength and wanted to get out of the room so badly but that would mean catching the attention from everyone. And that was something she defintiley did not want.

So she was still sitting in her chair, trying not to cry and not to look up when the teacher started reading the letters.

„I feel helpless. I was so afraid when I heard the gun and I thought that I would never see my family again in my whole life. And the morning before the shooting I had a fight with my mom and I know that it would have broken her heart if I died. Sometimes I wake up and hear those loud sound coming from the gun. Then I am sweating like hell. The fact is I feel pity for Jimmy. I did not know him but he probably had so many problems and noone realized it. It´s just sad. And then I see this girl in my class and she was always the bubbly one and kinda my idol. Pretty and even intelligent and caring. And I can tell from her face that she is blaming herself..."

The teacher looked up a minute to see how Brooke reacted. It did not please her what she saw. Brooke was looking out of the window without any reaction, so she read further.

„I have never talked to her but I want to just hold her and tell her that it is not her fault. I´ve never seen her so vulnerable and small. So, when Mrs. Anderson reads this I want you to know, that it is not your fault. Everyone will know who I mean, so I don´t have to say your name. You will probably pretend not to listen but I know you do."

Haley and Peyton looked at each others. „You?", but Haley said „No". Neither Peyton nor Haley had written this letter. Mrs. Anderson continued with another letter.

„I hate Jimmy Edwards. I know it´s not nice to say that but he destroyed so many lifes. Especially the one of that cute and sexy girl besides me. Everyone has problems but I don´t come to school with a gun. Why didn´t he just talk to someone? We are not supposed to know what others feel if they don´t have the gut to tell us. Of course I am to blame too. I probably made fun of him sometimes. I am on the bully side and I am ashamed of it now. Yes, I blame myself and it makes me wanna hit a wall because I just don´t know what to do. Fuck. Why can´t we change back time. And then I look and her sad eyes and I wanna hit the shit out of a dead body. I mean did he realize what he was going to do to her? Her sparkle is gone and I hope that there is someone out there who can give it back to her."

Everyone was shocked that this letter was about Brooke as well. Brooke tried hard not to listen and to pretend that she did not care. She did not want to cry in front of the whole class.

„One of my best friend...", Brooke knew that this must be Haley or Peyton. „is so hurt. I don´t know what to do. I wanna hold her and tell her that everything will be better but how can I. I am always the one that is dark and broody." Now Brooke knew that this must be Peyton. „I wish I was with her when everything happened. It´s not fair that she has to go through this nightmare alone. But you don´t have to! You probably know who I am right now because...well, we know each other that long and right now you´re probably pretending not to listen but I know you do. I am there for you. Do you understand me. I´ll be at your side every minute. Even if you push me away. Even if you call me a bitch or whatever, I won´t leave you alone. And it is not your fault. How could it be? I fele helpless and alone. I wanna hold you tight but you won´t let any of us. Don´t misunderstand this. It´s totally okay if you don´t want us to hold you but don´t do it because you think you´re not worth it. I know you think that and I know you feel guilty. But those thoughts are fucking stupid. If you feel guilty how should we all?"

Some people in the class were crying right now.

„I am afraid. I am afraid to hear those shooting sounds at night. I am afraid to go back to school and see a gun that is not there. But what frightens me the most is loosing you."

Brooke was crying right now too. The tears went out of her eyes but still she looked out of the window without moving a bit.

„You will probably cry right now but stirr out of the window. I know you are still there and I will do anything to help you. I wish I could say I hate Jimmy Edwards. In some way I do because he not only killed himself but a part of you. But I know that you don´t hate him and I know that he was the victim too. We cannot help him any more but I can try helping you!"

Even Mrs. Anderson had tears in her eyes and looked at Brooke again. She was hiding under her baseball-cap but she knew that she was crying as well. Was it too much? Should she stop right now? She definitely did not want to torture Brooke or the others. But she continued with another letter.

„Each morning I wake up and think of Jimmy. I did not know him except that he was in the mathlete club with my friend and when he came on stage during the game. I feel guilty that I did not realize that he was in so much pain. And it´s sad that noone realized that. I am sorry to write that now but: It´s the past. We cannot change it any more but we can try to change our future. We can try to look out for other people and do not bully them. I am definitely not the bully type-in fact I was bullied when I was younger and it´s a horrible feeling. It makes you think that you are worthless and noone cares for you. Jimmy set an excample what bullying can lead to. I don´t want to say that it´s a good thing that he killed himself.

It´s definitely not BUT he made us think about us and the world. So now I don´t feel guilty but I want to open my eyes more to my surroundings. And then I see my beautiful friend. She is pretty, loved, nice, intelligent and caring. Yes, she still is but her eyes just tell me that she is starting to hate herself for something that was not her fault. I am not allowed to hug her any more and she was always the one that hugged us all the time. She does not talk any more. She looks like a tomboy and fashion was always her desire. I don´t care about her outward appearance at all but I care so much for her well-being. And at the moment I know that she is not well. I know she cries at night and screams.

I know she sees Jimmy everywhere, I know she blames herself and I know she thinks that it should have been herself instead of Jimmy."

Brooke could not believe that Haley knew all her thoughts. It was enough for her. She started sobbing and let her head rest on the table.

„I am sorry because I probably made you cry right now. But I just wanted to let you know that I am not going anywhere and I´ll be there for you and I will do anything , trust me, anything to make those stupid thoughts vanish in your head. And I know at least five other people who will do that as well. So Tigger. Don´t you think you´re alone, cause you´re not. You are stick with us cause we love you."

Brooke was now crying very hard. She tried not to but she felt even more guilty when she heard the letter. Why did her friends care for her? She wished they would stop and leave her alone. She was not a good person. She did not deserve them.

Mrs Anderson continued:

„Ps: Get those stupid thoughts out of your head. You deserve us and we deserve you and need you. So we won´t leave you alone, even if you want us to at the moment."

Mrs Anderson suddenly felt ashamed. She should have known that this would be to much for Brooke. She looked at the sobbing girl. She was not the only one who sobbed but somehow Mrs. Anderson still thought that this was something she had to do.

She was shocked when she opened the next letter. There was not only writing on it but also little sketches-pretty good sketches-of Jimmy Edwards when he was laughing and smiling and then when he was lying dead on someone else. But the head of the other person was only drawn in black so you could not recognize the person. Mrs. Anderson knew who had written this letter and was relieved that Brooke obviously had expressed her feelings. She started reading and did not know that this letter would bring her to tears and everyone else to tears.


	12. Brooke s letter

**Thank u all for reading and reviewing! **

_bjq: In this chapter you´ll see what Brooke´s letter said. Thank u for your review and making u cry means a lot to me ;)_

_Melissagirl: Yeah, it is really sad and kinda like torture but she had to "talk" about what is really on her mind. Thanks for reading it and reviewing!_

_Haleydavisbaker: Thank you for reviewing! Right now I will focus a bit more on other things instead of Brulian or Brucas. Of course I´ll add more love scenes later on but first a bit of drama will come!_

_JustLikeBrookeDavis: Lol. Yeah...another cliffhanger. Thanks for always taking your time to read and review!_

Brooke sat motionless in class. Her head was resting at the table and she made sure that her baseball-cap did not allow others to see her face. It was just too much for her. She wanted to scream or run out of the room but somehow her body did not move a bit. It was like being in trance. "This isn´t happening. This isn´t happening. " , she thought. But it was happening.

Mrs. Anderson was looking at the letter and it took her a moment to read it out loud.

„He´s dead. I keep telling myself all the time but I still see him. I still smell him and I still know how it felt when his blood soaked my body. Red. I loved the colour red but now it only reminds me of his blood. I remember the sensation when he slapped me in the face and split my lip and when he threw me against the wall and hold the gun to my stomach and told me that it was my fault. I remember defending myself. It was never my intention to pull his friends away from him. I swear it really wasn´t. I would never do such things but then I realize I did those things. It´s even worse that I did not realize how mean I was and it makes me a bad person. I hate myself. I fucking hate myself. I let him kill himself. I am so blind and egoistic.

He said „I will never get out of this again. I will get into jail." and I wanted to tell him that in the end everything would be okay but then Boom. I hear those sound every time. I hear it when a door gets closed, I hear it at night and I definitely hear it when I see my face. I can´t even look at me cause I feel disgusted. I had seen his broken glasses and I sat besides him not long before he started the shooting and all I thought about was me. Yes, I asked him what had happened and he did not answer but why didn´t I go further in questioning? I cannot shower warm any more because it reminds me of his blood. When he shot himself in the head it was a horrible sound and I could feel the warm blood on my face and then his body just fell in my lap."

Mrs. Anderson looked at her pupils and realized that everyone except of Brooke Davis was crying really hard right now. She decided to stop reading the letter. She knew that Brooke would reveal even more details later on and she did not want to expose her at all. And she realized that it was too much for her pupils.

„I am not going to read any further because I can see that it´s time we really talk about it out loud."

A crying girl behind Brooke was the first one to speak and shocked everyone. She stood up and looked down at Brooke who looked out of the window. Brooke tried not to look up at her but somehow she did not manage. „I...just wanted to tell you that it was not your fault. I...I don´t know whether you know that I am Jimmy´s cousin." Brooke had to swallow hard and looked ashamed away. „Jimmy...was always talking good things about you and how cute you were when you started in the math club. I think he had a crush on you a bit. Yes, he was angry that you chose him as the joker during the game but on the other hand he told me that he felt so honoured that you chose him...and...Brooke...it´s definitely not your fault. I am glad that Jimmy had his last moments with you.", the girl cried hard and took Brooke´s hands in hers. „Could...could you look at me?", she pleaded. At first Brooke did not do anything but then she looked up at the girl and the tears fell down her cheek. „It´s not your fault, okay. I loved Jimmy and I would probably hate you if I thought it was your fault because...he was my family. Umm...I found this in his room.", she took out a drawing that showed Brooke smiling. Brooke looked at it and was shocked. Jimmy Edwards had drawn her? It was a pretty good drawing and it said „I love her smile." The girl sat down again while Brooke looked shocked at the drawing and suddenly lost her temper. It was just enough. Why would he love her smile? She felt like she could never smile again in her whole life. She took a red pencil and painted furiously over her smile and face. The others looked shocked at her and did not know what to do. Peyton tried to get the pencil but Brooke slapped her hand away and then pulled the drawing into pieces and that´s when she started to yell „Who cares whether he liked my smile. He is dead. Do you understand it?", she looked at his cousin. „Don´t say it´s not my fault cause it is. You weren´t there. I let him kill him. He is dead. He...", Mrs. Anderson was standing behind Brooke and tried to calm her down but Brooke protested „Don´t touch me.", Brooke screamed and fell to the floor. Mrs Anderson immediately went down with her and took her pupil into her arms and pressed Brooke´s head hard against her chest. Brooke cried so hard and clung to Mrs. Anderson.

The other pupils did not know what to do. „I think it is better to continue talking tomorrow.", Mrs. Anderson said from the ground while holding the broken Brooke. Brooke tried to get free but there was no way. At the moment Mrs. Anderson was glad that she worked as a psychologist before starting teaching and somehow could handle the situation. „Haley and Peyton. Could you stay here with us?", of course Haley and Peyton nodded.

Half an hour later Brooke was exhausted in Mrs. Anderson arms. Mrs. Anderson had managed to get into a chair with her and now Brooke was sitting on her lap and hiding her head in her chest. Peyton and Haley caressed her back all the time and their eyes were puffy red from all the crying.

„Could you bring me the letter, Haley?", Haley nodded and looked at the horrible yet beautiful drawing on it. „Brooke.", Mrs. Anderson looked down at her but Brooke hid her face. „I stopped reading the letter because I don´t want you to feel exposed to the class. But I know that Haley and Peyton are one of your best friends and I think it is important to let them know what you feel." Haley immediately answered „Brooke. I really wanna help you and...and...", Haley sobbed again, so Peyton finished her sentence „we are there for you and would like to know what is in your stubborn head." Peyton smiled when she saw that Brooke had a little hint of a smile when she had said stubborn.

On the one hand Brooke did not want them to know what she had written, on the other hand she did want it. She felt so alone and ashamed of her feelings and thoughts.

Mrs. Anderson opened the letter and started reading. She felt Brooke stiffen up and hiding her face even more.

„He made such weird movements and I thought „maybe he is still alive?". What a dumb thought! He wasn´t. Finally his movements stopped and I can still smell his blood and then it started soaking through my shirt and short. There was blood everywhere and it was a warm sensation. I did not feel scared at that moment or disgusted. Just empty. And that´s how I still feel. Empty. I see my friends who try to help me and it makes me angry at them. Why do they want to help a person like me? Don´t they realize that I am a horrible person? I don´t want to hurt them but I just cannot get hugged or hear what they want to say. I can´t. I just wanna leave everything behind me and be alone right now. I cannot even describe my emotions any more. It´s like I don´t know myself any more.

Sometimes I only cry because those images are haunting me and I know I could have prevented it. Then I just feel nothing and other times I am so furious. I´ve never been so furious in my whole life and it scares me. I really wish he shot me and not himself."

Peyton and Haley gasped and were crying right now even harder. They tried not to make any sound and hold each others hands. Brooke on the other hand did not cry but tried to leave this situation mentally.

„Yesterday I was so mad that I hit my head on the wall a thousand times till it was starting to bleed and a big bump is now showing me how weak I am."

Peyton and Haley looked shocked at each others. That was obviously one of the reasons Brooke had to wear a basecap. Mrs. Anderson took off Brooke´s cap carefully and was shocked how big the bump was. It was not only one but Brooke´s whole forehead was in bruises. „Oh honey.", she whispered and then continued.

„It did not feel like me at all but the pain made me realize that I am still alive. I was in such a rage that I destroyed all my favourite stuff. When I finally even destroyed my grandma´s mirror I could see the blood flooding down my arm."

Brooke hold her sleeves tight. She did not want anyone to see her wound but Peyton grabbed her arm and then looked shocked at it. She remembered the time she had been hurting herself after her mother´s death and how Brooke had helped her. Never in all her life had she expected it to be the other way around. Brooke. Her cheery Brooke.

She run her finger over the wound and then kissed it. That was what Brooke had always done and it was the first time that Brooke looked into Peyton´s eyes. Peyton smiled at her and Brooke just whispered „I am sorry."

„I did not panic like in the past. I just looked at it and hoped that sooner or later I would be bloodless. I am scared of myself. Isn´t that a stupid thing to say? I really don´t want to act so stupid, like I am a victim. I really don´t. I wanna let my friends be there for me. I wanna tell them everything. I wanna be there for them as well and I wanna enjoy life but I just can´t. I can´t pretend that I am a good person. I can´t pretend that it was not my fault that Jimmy Edwards killed himself and I cannot pretend that I love myself or that I am happy. I was never good in lying. I really try. I try my best and I know I am hurting my friends so much and I see their scared faces and helplessness but what can I do?

I feel like I am trapped in my own nightmare and I realize that it would only change if I could turn back time. If I could save Jimmy. God Jimmy. I am so, so sorry.

All I want to do right now is sleeping. Is it possible to sleep your life away cause that is what I really would want to do. I am exhausted. I cannot sleep, I cannot eat, I get so furious and end up with bruises and I just want to be alone.

But if I am honest to myself it´s not really true. I just want to be a kid again. I want my mom to hold me and tell me that everything will be all right. It´s so stupid. I never cried for my mom. I haven´t seen her in two years and when I called her yesterday she told me that I should stop acting like a baby and stop pitying myself cause I am not the one who is dead and I would probably go on everyones nerves-not only hers-if I continue whining so much all the time.

God. I am really messed up. I want to stop whining and crying and screaming but it´s like I have no control over it. And I am so, so sorry that I am a burden to everyone. Maybe I should just run away. My friends are better off without me! In fact everyone is. Jimmy knows that the best. But to be honest. I am so scared. I am scared of everyhing. I am exhausted and I just want someone to tell me that it will be alright. That the images will fade and that I can try to be lovable. Here I am again. The egoistic one. Talking only about me while Jimmy´s family is going through hell. But I cannot help it. I feel so helpless, ashamed and guilty."

Haley and Peyton could not stop crying and looked at Brooke who did not move a bit on Mrs. Anderson lap. They tried to take her hands but she always pulled them away.

„Jimmy, I am so sorry. Really. I am. I did not mean to hurt you and I did not want you to kill yourself. It was all my fault."

Brooke still pretended not to listen or be „there" when Mrs. Anderson read the last sentence „I still hope that I am only dreaming or someone will save me. But I guess I am not worth saving."

There was silence a while. You could only hear Peyton´s and Haley´s sobbings. They tried to stop crying but couldn´t. Although they knew that Brooke had those thoughts it was a different thing hearing what she had written. Mrs. Anderson softly shifted Brooke from her lap and Brooke sat down on the chair and hid her head again on her knees and hugged herself. „I´ll give you some space and wait outside.", the teacher thought that it was time for Brooke and her friends to be alone and went outside. There she met a woman that looked like Brooke but older. She was sure that this was Brooke´s mother and decided to give her the letter. She did not know at the moment that this was **not** a good idea.


	13. The real mother

Peyton took Brooke´s hand although Brooke tried to get free. But there was no way she would let her escape this stuation. „Brooke, can you please look at us.", Haley whispered and hugged Brooke from behind and took of her baseball-cap again. Peyton then took Brooke´s chin in her hands. „We love you so much Brooke.", she said and without a sign Brooke suddenly jumped into their arms which made the three of them fall to the ground and cried hard. Peyton and Haley cried with her. Those were happy cries and sad on the same time. „I am so sorry. I am so sorry.", Brooke cried and hid her head in Peyton´s chest. „You don´t have to be Brookie. It was not your fault.", Haley said and hold her tight.

Suddenly two feet were standing in front of them.

„Brooke Penelope Davis. Get off the ground immediately.", Victoria looked so mad at her daughter.

At first Brooke thought she was dreaming but when Victoria grabbed her arm harshly and dig her nails into her arm, she realized that this was definitely not a dream.

Peyton and Haley stood up as well and looked up at the bigger woman in surprise.

„I just read your stupid letter.", Victoria hold it in her hand and then ripped it into pieces.

Brooke just looked at her mother with wide eyes.

„You are going too far with being the drama queen. I know it´s not a pleasure to see someone killing himself in front of you but you did not even know this person nor were you harmed. So stop exaggerating."

„Mrs. Davis. She is definitely not exaggerating...she...", Peyton tried to defend Brooke but Victoria immediately answered.

„Don´t you dare getting in between this argument now.", she pointed at Peyton and Haley who were scared right now.

Without warning Victoria took off Brooke´s baseball-cap again and looked at her arm. „Obviously you are still too weak to take care of yourself. That´s why your dad and I will take you to New York tomorrow.

Go pack your stuff and don´t you dare looking like this on the plane.", she hit Brooke with her cap on the forehead forcefully and went out of the room and left three tstunned people behind.

Of course Peyton and Haley had wanted to defend Brooke and talk back to Victoria but somehow all of them were too stunned by the scene that had just happened.

„Brooke...", Haley tried to take her hand in hers but Brooke just looked furiously at them.

„Don´t touch me, ok. Just...leave me alone."

She ran out of the school building.

She did not take any notice of her surroundings and she did not know where she was running excactly.

All she knew was, that she wanted to get away.

But the problem was that she wanted to get away from herself.

And with every step she took her shadow was right behind her.

There was no escape.

After running for about half an hour Brooke just fell into the grass and cried.

It was just enough. She looked up into the sky for a while and just thought about her life.

It was like she had no control over it any more.

Everything had changed so fast. Unbelievable.

She had not realized that someone was coming towards her and sat down on the ground as well.

She had her cap in front of her now, so that noone could see her face but when he took her hand she immediately knew who it was.

He took off her cap and looked down into those beautiful eyes he would miss so much. Brooke tried to look away but he softly put his hand on her cheek and then whipped away her tears.

„When are you leaving?", she asked softly and tried not to cry harder.

„How do...do...you know?", he asked confused.

„I heard your friend talking.", she whispered.

He had tears in his eyes as well.

„Tomorrow. My parents did not even give me time to adapt to that thought. LA. I am not an LA guy. And...I...willl miss you so much.", he took his arms around her and looked down on the beauty.

„What happened to your head?", he asked shocked when he saw the big bruise. She blushed immediately.

„Nothing. I...just...um...bumped into the door."

Julian nodded and whispered.

„I can tell that you are lying but it´s okay. Um...Brooke. I just wanted to let you know that I´ll be there no matter what, okay.

And...I know our relationship just started...and um...now we´ll be living so far away from each others, I mean me in LA and you here...", she interrupted him.

„I´ll be in New York. My mother just told me."

„Oh. I am sorry that our parents really do not think about us.", she nodded and took a deep breath and then laid down in his arms.

„I will miss you so much Julian.", she whispered and he took her chin and kissed her softly.

She realized that he suddenly blushed.

„What is it?", she asked confused.

„Um..you know...you´re my first big crush and um...I hope that my future will be your future."

Brooke´s eyes widened. Although he had said that in a weird way she could really tell that he fell for her.

It was not that she did not but at the moment she had to deal enough with herself.

„You don´t have to say anything. Please take care of yourself. You´re the most amazing person I ever met and I want you in my life forever.

Whether as a girlfriend or a good friend." Brooke nodded and listened to his heartbeat.

„I cannot believe how fast everything can change. It´s scary.", she sobbed and he went with his hands through her hair.

„Me neither." They stayed liked this for a while until Julian convinced her to go pack stuff for New York.

He did not know Brooke´s mother and therefore thought that it was a good thing for Brooke to be with her parents.

Of course it was the other way around.

Their last hug was very long and both of them cried knowing that fate somehow did not mean it good with them. Everything had started perfectly and now everything looked so bad.

xxxx

Brooke went into the kitchen and saw Karen sitting on the table.

Immediately Karen stood up. At first she wanted to scream at Brooke.

She was had been worried sick but when he saw Brooke´s face she could not cry at that girl.

Instead she hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.

Brooke let her head slump on the older woman´s shoulder but there were no tears left any more.

„I have to pack my stuff." Karen looked confused at her.

Right in this moment Lucas went into the kitchen and asked Brooke.

„Is it true? Your mother is moving you to New York?", he asked it a bit furiously because the thought of not having Brooke in his life, especially now that she was so broken, was unbearable.

Karen looked from Brooke to Lucas and although Brooke did not answer, her face already showed the answer.

Without hesitation Karen called Victoria and the next thing Brooke and Lucas heard were Karen and Victoria obviously fighting on the phone.

"Mrs. Davis. I really understand your concerns but Brooke has gone through a lot and I think she needs her friends now and her normal surrounding."

"Miss Roe. Brooke Davis is still my daughter. And I am not pleased how she is looking at the moment and I think noone of you can give her that what a real mother and a real father can."

It was then Brooke and Lucas heard Karen screaming at Victoria. Of course they could not hear Victoria but she was screaming back at Karen for sure.

Brooke just let her head rest on the table. Lucas caressed her back for a moment.

"It will be okay.", he whispered and she gave him a short smile and then went into her room to pack her stuff.

Of course Karen could not force Brooke to stay with them.

She was still underage and if her parents said that she had to go live with them, there was no way out.

So Karen went to buy something for meal while Brooke packed her stuff and Lucas sat on her bed.

But in the mean time Karen was thinking how to stop Brooke from going. There had to be a solution.

"I hope you´ll call every day?", he tried to ease up the tension in the room but Brooke was so focused on the packing that it was not really easy.

She was still wearing the baseballcap when suddenly Victoria Davis was standing in her room and looking disgusted at her daughter.

"Brooke Penelope Davis. Change of plans.", for a moment Brooke got hope but when their driver came into the room and took her baggage without a word she wanted to cry immediately.

But she could not. Lucas just watched the scene in horror.

"Are you ready?", Victoria asked and looked at her watch.

"But…but…now?", was all that Brooke could stutter.

Victoria rolled her eyes and went outside again. This time Brooke went after Victoria and Lucas after Brooke.

"You did not say that we are leaving today. I am not going. I could not even say goodbye to my friends.", she whined like a young kid and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Well there is one friend of yours. So say goodbye.", Victoria pointed at Lucas and took out her Iphone to make a call.

Brooke looked up at Lucas and felt helpless.

"Look. Mrs. Davis. Couldn´t Brooke fly to New York a bit later?", he suggested but Victoria rolled her eyes and took off Brooke´s cap again and hit her hard on the head with it. Brooke flinched in pain.

"I told you not to look like this Brooke."

This was enough for Brooke.

She suddenly reacted promptly and took her cap back from her mother and on her head again.

"I won´t leave. Fuck off.", she said loud and shocked Lucas and Victoria. She was shocked at her own answer as well. Of course she had fought her mother a thousand times but she had never told her to fuck off.

She had said that with such force that it even took Victoria a moment to answer.

But of course her answer would not be nice.

Victoria grabbed her daughter´s arm so forcefully and literally carried her into the car. Brooke was trying to get free and Lucas wanted to help her but the driver, a big one, blocked the way.

"Brooke.", he screamed when Victoria finally had managed to push her daughter inside not caring that Brooke hit her head in the process.

Lucas ran after the car but nothing helped. Brooke was gone.

Brooke tried to open the doors but they were locked and then without thinking she started hitting her mother´s chest.

"I hate you.", she screamed but Victoria managed to get her daughter´s hands in hers "Stop hitting me.", Victoria screamed at her daughter but Brooke kicked and cried in the meantime.

So Victoria let the car stop a moment and went in front of the limousine, which was separated from the back with a little wall.

Brooke knocked on it all the time, kicked the window, kicked the seats but nothing helped.

Finally she gave up and just cried into her hands.

Victoria heard her only daughter crying and did not even feel guilty at all.

All she thought about was that Brooke should finally start behaving like a real woman and that she would not let her out on the street before she could act classy and not like a drama queen or a spoiled kid.

xxxx

Karen was shocked when she found Lucas sitting on the couch staring into nothing and finally telling her what had happened.

The food she had just bought fell to the floor and she ran to her son and hugged him tight.

"We will get her back.", she whispered into his ears not knowing whether this was true. Of course she was not her real mother and if Brooke´s parents decided to take care of her, there was nothing she could do to prevent that.

If Victoria and Richard were good parents, it would be perfect for Brooke to spend some time with them. But they were the opposite of that.

xxxx

Before they were walking into the airport again Victoria sat besides her daughter again. Brooke was not looking at her mother but out of the window. It was too much for her to fight back when her mother started yelling at her. Again.

"Would you stop crying. You have everything you need and all you do is complain and now get dressed." Victoria threw Brooke a dress on her lap.  
Brooke did not even look at it nor did she move.

"Brooke Penelope Davis. I said get dressed. Now.", she screamed so loud at Brooke that Brooke flinched.

"Fine, be like that. But I promise you, you have to learn some manners in New York.", she took Brooke´s hand and pulled her out of the car.

Victoria did not let go of Brooke´s hand all the time.

Not because she was a good mother and wanted to protect her daughter but because she wanted to get the upper hand-as usual.

Brooke looked at the ground all the time and did not say are word.

The fly "home" was horrible. All she could think about were her friends and Karen. Karen had become the mother she always wanted and now she was sitting besides her real mother and it was the last thing she wanted at the moment.

"Oh look at that.", Victoria pointed at a dress in a magazine "that would look perfect on you. We should definitely buy this."

Brooke did not care at all about shopping at the moment.

When they arrived at their new house Brooke was surprised.

It was even bigger than the other houses she had lived in.

So it was true, her dad had another godd job and was making a lot of money again.

There was a cook, a chauffeur, a gardener and some other people for stuff you normally do by yourself.

"Isn´t it pretty.", Victoria asked her daughter but it was not really a question.

"It´s nice to meet you Miss Davis.", a older woman that must be the cleaning woman smiled at Brooke.

Brooke smiled back and said.

"Thank you.". Victoria raised an eyebrow.

"So you´re talking to the cleaning people but not to your own mother.".

She shook her head and then dragged her upstairs.

"The fifth door is yours." Brooke walked slowly into her own room. Of course it was furnitured and it looked not so bad. The room was very big and she had her own bathroom and a closet that was too big to believe.

She let herself fall on the bed and looked at the ceiling. She did not want to be here.

She closed her eyes and tried to think of anything good but nothing came into her mind, so she hugged herself. She wanted to feel save. In fact, all she wanted right now was lying in Karen´s arms.

"Mooom.", Brooke screamed and ran down the stairs a little later.

Brooke had to look in so many rooms until she found her mom sitting on a couch and drinking whiskey with her dad.

"My little Brookie. How I have missed you.", Richard stood up and hugged her daughter. "Yeah right.", Brooke whispered and did not hug him back.

"Where is my mobile?", Brooke asked her mother furiously.

"Oh. Right.", Victoria took a new Iphone out of her purse and gave it to Brooke with a wide smile.

Brooke looked astonished at it. This was definitely not her mobile.

"That´s not my mobile.", she said back.

"It´s your new one. It´s time to let go of all your friends out there and start a normal Davis life."

Brooke was beyond fure.

"Where is it? I need it. I don´t know any number of them."

Victoria looked madly at her daugher.

"That´s the point daughter. You get new friends. Here in New York."

Richard looked up at his daugher.

"What in hell are you wearing. Is this what you call fashion in tree hill?" Brooke rolled her eyes. Her parent were unbelievable.

"Gimme my mobile you bitch.", Brooke raised her voice. Her parents had never seen her like that. Of course she had been two years younger the last time they have seen her. "Brooke Penelope Davis. Don´t you talk like this to your mom.", Richard stood up in front of Brooke.

He was way bigger than his daughter and looked furiously down at her.

But Brooke did not care. She went to her mother´s purse to find her mobile.

"Get away from my purse. Now.", Victoria said harsh and when Brooke did not stop looking through her stuff, Richard grabbed Brooke´s waist and pulled her upstairs into her room.

Brooke was screaming and crying and hitting him all the time but he just threw her on her bed and pointed at her with his finger.

"I will not allow such behaviour in this house.", he went out of her room and locked the door.

Brooke immediately run to the door and knocked from the inside.

"Let me out. Let me out.", she screamed and then fell to the floor and cried into her own hands.

"You were right darling. They really spoiled her in Tree Hill. That´s not the daughter we know.", Richard sat besides Victoria.

"I know. She is out of control. That has to change.", she took another sip of the whiskey while she heard her daugher screaming upstairs.

The cook and cleaning lady looked shocked at each other.

They had not expected such a family dynamic in this house


	14. Veronica and Adam

"She won't answer any of my calls.", Lucas, Peyton, Nathan and Haley were sitting in Karen's caffé and talking about Brooke.

"Mine neither.", Nathan said and went through his hair.

"That's not Brooke.", Haley was in thoughts and wondered what her friend was going through at the moment. She hoped that Brooke was all right but she knew that this hope would not be the truth.

Victoria was a bitch. And they could only guess that Richard had not changed through the years either.

Karen came over to them and sat down as well. She could see that all of them were missing Brooke and worried very much.

"Okay kids. I could not get through either. All we can do now is wait for a call but if she does not call back by the end of the week I will definitely fly to New York."

"I bet their parents have taken away her cell phone.", Peyton hit the table with her fist.

"Do you really think they are capable of such things?", Haley did not know Brooke's parents very good and could not believe that parents could be so mean to their own daughter.

Especially now, with Brooke going through so much.  
"Oh, you should have seen them how they treated her when she was a kid.", Peyton made a grimase when she remembered how Victria had yelled for hours at Brooke only because her clothes had been dirty and how she had repeated over and over again how ashamed she was of her own daughter.

There were so many times that Brooke came crying over to Peyton and wondering why she never was enough.

xxxxx

"Let me out.", Brooke was still knocking from inside her door with her fists. She did it so hard that her fists hurt and started to bleed a little.

But she did not care at the moment, all she wanted was getting out of her room and not being held hostage by her parents for no reason.

She cried hard, yes she had cried for hours and still the tears were falling down on the floor and left little blotches.

"Let me out. Please.", Brooke cried into her hands and felt so helpless. She was at a place she did not want to be. Not at all.

She felt guilty and did not like herself very much at the moment and of course she missed her friends.

She was locked in her room for three days now and only occasionally her parents would come in to bring her something to eat. It always ended in Brooke trying to get out and her father pulling her forcefully back to her bed.

"You stay here. When you have calmed down you can come out.", he pointed madly at his daughter and closed the door again.

They did not hit her but nevertheless it was torture. Having no one to talk to made her feel even more alone.

Not that she was really keen of talking at all but being alone with all her thoughts and feelings and her nightmares was horrible.

She sat down on her bed and looked at her meal. She was disgusted by it and threw it to the ground and hugged her little teddy bear. He was the only thing that was left and that made her feel safe for a moment.

After some hours her mother came into the room with some dresses and sat down in a chair in front of her bed.

Brooke was still hugging the bear and did not look at her. She was so mad at this woman that she wished she could just make her vanish forever.

"I see. You haven't eaten again.", Victoria said calm and looked at the meal on the floor.

"The cleaning woman will clean it later. So, I have enough of your behavior. Enough with the yelling and screaming and hitting. I want you to wear one of this clothes and I want you to shower because you smell like a boy. On Wednesday we are going to have dinner as a family at a fine restaurant. You will behave. If not, there will be some consequences."

Brooke did not say anything and stiffened up.

Inside she just wanted to jump at her mother and hit her with all her force. But she had never done anything like this before and she knew that she would not stand a chance against Victoria.

Victoria went out and a little later the cleaning woman came into her room without saying a word.

xxxx

Brooke was lying on her back and looking at the ceiling.

"Hey young miss.", the cleaning woman said and smiled at Brooke when Brooke looked at her in surprise with her sad and lonely eyes.

"I bought you this.", she threw some magazines onto Brooke's bed and hoped to get a reaction from the girl in front of her.

Brooke looked confused at the magazines and then whispered "Thank you."

"Must be boring to stay in your room all day long?", the cleaning woman said and Brooke nodded.

"I don't know what you did to be punished this way but you know what?", the cleaning woman was in her late fifties and not really thin. She had many wrinkles and although she was not the most beautiful woman, she was beautiful in her own way.

Brooke shook her head.

"I have a key to your room. Your parents are away most of the time. How about you come out sometime to get some fresh air?"

Brooke was astonished, why was she so nice to her?

"Um…ok." Brooke whispered almost shyly and hugged her bear again.

xxxx

They next two days Veronica, the cleaning lady, opened Brooke's room whenever the Davis were away.

At first Brooke did not really know what she should do but then she helped Veronica with everything that needed to be done around the house.

"And you do that every day?", Brooke asked Veronica while she cleaned the oven.

"Well, I have a family and money does not grow on trees.", Veronica smiled and took out a broom "Have you ever moped the floor to music?"

Brooke looked confused at her and shook her head. Of course not.

"Well, there is a first time for everything.", she gave the mop to Brooke, started the music and suddenly she danced through the kitchen while cleaning and singing to the music.

Brooke looked shocked at her and did not move at all.

"C'mon. Join me.", finally Brooke got out of her trance and danced with Veronica.

"If you wanna know, if he loves you so, it's in his kiss.", Veronica sang and gave the microphone, well, the broom, to Brooke who sang into it "That's where it is?"

"Oh yeah."

It was the first time that Brooke forgot about everything and just enjoyed the moment.

"That was fun.", Brooke and Veronica slumped down the couch totally exhausted and laughed.

"You sure know how to dance kiddo.", she pinched Brooke's nose and Brooke smiled at her.

"You too."

Suddenly she heard the car outside and hid.

"Shit. My parents Veronica."

"Don't be afraid. C'mon.", Veronica took Brooke's hand and dragged her to another stair. Brooke did not know that there was another stair in the back.

She went into her room and when Veronica was about to close the door, Brooke ran to her and hugged her tight.

Veronica smiled at her but closed the door promptly because the Davis were coming upstairs.

"Did she behave?", Victoria and Richard asked Veronica who looked at the ground and nodded.

"Yes mam."

They entered her room and saw Brooke smiling at them. Not a nice smile but a smile that told them that they could not get her down.

"Why are you smiling at us?", Victoria asked hard.

"Oh, just because I am happy, mother.", Brooke said back and then looked into a book.

Victoria and Richard were confused and got out again.

xxxx

The next day Brooke helped Veronica again and she started liking cleaning more and more. She liked it because Veronica made a game out of everything.

"Why are you so sad Brooke?", Veronica did not look at Brooke while she cleaned the shower but she just needed to know what Brooke was holding in.

"I…miss my friends.", Brooke whispered.

"Why don't you call them? I know that your parents have your phone but there is still one around the house."

Brooke hesitated a moment but then answered shyly.

"I think they are better off without me."

Veronica looked at the girl and realized how broken she was.

"Oh I think that's a lie. I know you for a week now and I would never want to miss that week. So the people who know you basically your whole life long would definitely not want that either."

Brooke stopped the cleaning and looked at Veronica and thought about her parents. They were the one who knew her the longest. Well, they did not really know anything about their daughter but they were the ones who had seen her at first when she had been born.

Veronica realized in what conflict Brooke was and stopped the cleaning and threw the washcloth into Brooke's face.

"Your parents are idiots Brooke."

Brooke looked shocked at her but then burst out into laughing.

"So, are you going to call them?", Veronica was a woman who always got the answer to her questions. Even if it meant asking the question over and over again.

"Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Okay we make a deal. If you don't call them this week I won't let you out again."

Brooke looked totally shocked at her "That's not a deal that is blackmailing."

"Call it whatever you want.", Veronica laughed and went out of the room.

"Hey Brookie Cookie", the cook went through Brooke's hair when Brooke came into the kitchen.

"Your parents told me to make you succotash today, do you even like that?", the cook was in his forties and the funniest men Brooke had ever seen.

He was always talking to the food like they were alive and whenever he got the opportunity to joke he told a joke.

"I hate it.", Brooke said and he threw a cooking book towards her.

"Tell me what you want.", he pointed at the book and Brooke opened the book and was overwhelmed by all the recipes.

"Umm…maybe this.", Brooke pointed at a lasagna with many vegetables.

"Great. Wanna help?", he asked her and she nodded immediately.

"Sure. Why not.", she washed her hands "Just tell me what to do. I've never cooked before."

He looked shocked at Brooke and then smiled "You sure are a spoiled kid."

"Adam!", Veronica yelled from the next floor.

"What? She is. But a very lovable one.", Brooke smiled at him and took the carrots and washed them.

"So Brookie Cookie. Do you have a boyfriend? A pretty girl like you must have one!"

Brooke thought about Julian and wondered how he was doing in LA. She did not realize that a tear went down her face.

"Oh. Did he break your heart kiddo.", Adam took Brooke's chin and made her look at him.

"No. He just had to move away and now I am stuck here.", she snipped the carrot madly.

"It's not the carrot's fault.", Adam took it away from her and she had to laugh.

"So you don't like being stuck with us. Huh?"

"No. I like it with you. But I have no other friends and my parents lock me in all the time."

"You are the little Cinderella of New York. Just wait a bit and you will be the princess.", Adam began to sing and Brooke just listened to him.

She was glad that she could eat again and with other people.

"That tastes very good."

"Only the best for Cinderella. But trust me, Cinderella would not wear a base cap.", Adam pointed at her cap which made Brooke stop eating for a moment.

She jumped up in surprise when Veronica took off her cap and pointed at her forehead.

"That's why she is wearing it. She hits her head at the wall all the time when she's mad."

Brooke blushed and did not know what to say.

"Oh. Veronica.", Adam yelled after her "remember when I was mad at myself because I cooked something that tasted horrible."

"Yeah Adam. More than once."

"Oh and do you remember when I made myself eat all of it at once?"

"Oh yeah. I still see you puking on the whole floor."

"Eww…Brookie Cookie that was disgusting. But I learned to pay more attention and not to eat anything that I did not like and punish myself. You should too."

Brooke thought that nothing of what he had said made any sense and continued eating.

"Why did you hit yourself?", Veronica sat down besides her and really wanted to understand the girl.

Brooke was shocked again. They were so brutally honest and asked everything that was on their mind.

"Um…", she looked away in embarrassment "I was mad at myself."

"Why?", Adam asked, "because you are a beautiful, caring and lovely young woman although your parents are the exact difference?"

"Um….no.", Brooke whispered.

"It's because you like seeing your forehead in blue and red, right?", Adam said again and thought about more ideas.

"Adam, stop it.", Veronica pointed with her finger at him and took her arm around Brooke.

Brooke took a deep breath and then told about Jimmy and everything that had happened. She could not believe that she really was able to tell them the whole story and cried through it.

"Oh kiddo. That's horrible.", Veronica pulled Brooke to her chest and caressed her back.

"I think it is your fault.", Brooke and Veronica looked shocked at Adam.

"Adam!", Veronica yelled at him and held Brooke even tighter to protect her.

"It was my fault too when I did not get my kid into the hospital immediately with a high fever and now is brain damaged and we cannot pretend that nothing is our faults. But there is a difference between a fault and an intention."

Brooke listened carefully to Adam while sobbing.

"But you learn from your faults and this is the punishment you get your whole life long. You have to make a difference for other people and for yourself.

Of course it was your fault Brooke. That Jimmy boy had no one and no one could see his pain but it was also the teacher's fault, other pupils' and his parents'. And of course his own.

By punishing yourself now you make the same mistake he did and in the end you make your friends feel like you do now and realizing that they lost you because it was their faults."

Veronica looked surprised at Adam. It was the first time that he saw him so serious.

"I have just one question for you Brookie Cookie. Was it your intention that he would shoot himself?"

Brooke was speechless. Of course it was not and she shook her head.

"I see him every night and the blood…", Brooke whispered.

"Oh. I bet. It sounds like a horror movie to me. Maybe you should find the one that can get the DVD out of the player."

Adam squeezed Brooke's cheek and Brooke started crying real hard. Adam opened his arms and she fell into them. He cried with her and let it all out. After some minutes Brooke looked up at him.

"Did you cry?"

Adam raised an eyebrow "How could I not cry with a girl I want to be happy in my arms crying her heart out. That would mean I have a cold heart Brookie Cookie."

Brooke smiled and hugged him tight again.

Although she did not know them well, where they really came from or how their life looked like, apart of their jobs, she felt close to them. It was sad that she felt closer to them than to her own parents.

"How about you take a bath now and wash all those bad thoughts and guilty feelings away and then you dress in one of those expensive clothes you have and go to dinner with your evil parents and show them that they don't get you down.

They will be away for the weekend and I have a big surprise for you. I promise that this surprise will make you happy."

Brooke nodded and went upstairs and into the tube.

She went under the water and stayed there until she could not breath any more.

She came up with a small smile and puffed the foam away.

Then she heard her door open and her dad looking at her and coming into the bathroom.

"Dad. I am in the tube.", she hid her breasts, of course for some kids it was normal showing them naked in front of their parents but Brooke felt weird because she was not used living around her parents at all.

"I know. I've seen you naked all the time Brooke.", Richard said and sat down on the toilet seat.

"I want you to make your mother happy today. Do you understand me?", he looked at his daughter without any interest in her body or realization that she definitely had become a young woman.

"Yes, I do. Now get out...Please.", she added and he stood up and went out of her room locking her door again.  
Brooke rolled her eyes and went under the water again. She had the urge to hit herself again but she just focused on her breath and held it until she had to breath again which showed her that she was still alive.

xxxxx

They were sitting in the restaurant and Richard and Victoria could only talk about their business. They did not even ask Brooke one time how she felt or whether she missed her friends.

Brooke concentrated on her meal but did not feel like eating at all, so she just looked around and looked at all the families.

Those families were laughing and everybody was talking to each other. Not only the parents.

She remembered the times when she was younger and they always had gone out to eat that she always had fallen asleep in her chair.

It was never about her.

Her desires and needs had never been important. Yes, she had gotten the best clothes, the best ballet teacher, the best food but did that really count to kids?

Of course not!

Growing up in an environment that showed you every day that you were just an accessory matter to your own parents, did not really help your self-esteem.

Brooke knew why she always fooled around with boys and was very loyal to her friends.

She hated to be alone. Although there were people around her, she felt very lonely at the moment.

She thought about her own kids. She would never treat them the way her parents did. She would want them to be happy. Just happy.

"Brooke Penelope Davis. Eat your meal.", Victoria said sternly to her daughter and Brooke went out of her trance and looked at her.

Of course she did not want to make a scene in a restaurant but she did not want her parents to feel like they had the upper hand either.

"I am not going to…", suddenly her father took her hand and squeezed it very hard.

"Owww…that…", she protested and tried to get her hand back but he squeezed it even harder and she had to suppress her tears falling down.

"Eat.", he said merciless and let go of her hand when she started eating while the tears went down her face.

She did not say anything until they were home.

There she stormed into the house and yelled at them.

"I hate you so much. I wish you were dead."

It was the first time that she really feared her dad when he came towards her.

"Go upstairs. Now.", he did not yell at her but his eyes showed that he was past fury and it was scary how he bit his lip.

"What do you think I was about to do? I don't like being around you fucking assholes.", Brooke was surprised by her own strength and cursing but soon took her hand to her cheek and looked shocked at her dad.

Tears appeared in her eyes. Her father had hit her. Her own father.

"It's enough Richard.", Victoria touched his arm but he shook his head.

"You don't get to talk to us like this. We give you everything you want and yet you talk to us like that. I want you to apologize.", he pointed his finger at Brooke who shivered.

Since when had her dad become so aggressive?

Victoria pulled at his arms. "Let her be Richard."

"No I won't.", he slapped his wife's hand away.

"Apologize. Now." Brooke shivered but there was no way that she was going to say that she was sorry. Because that would be a lie. A big one.

"No I won't.", she ran upstairs and screamed when her dad ran after her.

She ran into her room and tried to close the door but he was stronger and took her arm strongly.

"Dad. Leave me alone.", she almost pleaded but she saw a fury in his eyes that told her that he would not just leave her room.

She ducked when his first hit came towards her face. It hit her hard and never in all her life had she expected him to use such force against her.

"I am sick of your behavior.", he still had a pretty good grip on her arm and she knew that this would leave a bruise.

"Please stop.", she screamed hysterically and tried to get free.

But she was just a young woman without any strength against her big father.

She felt another punch but this time to her stomach, which mad her loose her balance. She cried heavily but he just pushed her backwards on her bed and held her arms up with his force.

"Now apologize.", he screamed into her face.

Brooke flinched and whispered, "I am sorry."

He let got of her and went outside, "I hope this is a lesson for you.", he locked the door again and did not care that his own daughter slumped to the floor and cried into her hands for hours.

When Brooke finally had calmed down she went into the bathroom and looked at her face. Her lip and her nose were bleeding and she flinched in pain when she touched them.

Carefully she washed the blood away and went to her bed again and held her bear tightly. She heard her parents fighting downstairs and Victoria yelling at Richard that it was not okay to hit their daughter.

She remembered the times her parents had been constantly yelling at each other and tried to get away from all of it by covering her ears and closing her eyes.

**Sorry I updated this story later than the other ones (but three of my stories today...I wrote at night). Some asked me whether I will even update them because I focussed more on "Healing pocess"...but of course I will! And I really, really try to always give you a next chapter ASAP. There was just so much drama in "Healing process" and many, many questions I had to write down and answer. If you like stories about becoming a family and with Sam, Brulian, Naley and their kids...then maybe you'll like "Healing process" and of course would make me happy to review to it as well.**

**I know. Her parents are really not the nicest one and her dad even hit her the first time...I am sad for Brooke...weird, because I wrote it LoL. Anyways, thanks for reading and would love to know your thoughts!**


	15. Richard and Victoria

**I wish you all a happy Easter! And here a little "present" from me...an update!**

**xxxx**

This night Brooke did not sleep well at all. She was afraid that her father would have another outburst and would come into her room and she could hear her parents yelling constantly at each other. The screaming did just not stop. All Brooke could think about was her family in Tree Hill. She hoped to see them as soon as possible.

Suddenly she heard her door opening. Immediately she jumped up in her bed and looked scared at her father. He looked at her like he had never done before. Some hours earlier he had looked so mad and actually had hit her and now he came into her room with eyes that looked sad and guilty.

He went into her room and sat down at the edge of her bed. Brooke looked stunned at him and did not know what to say. He could not look at her either but finally he tried and was shocked what he had done to his own daughter. Yes, he had hit her. Although he had never been there for her and did not know her at all, he still loved her. How could he cross that line?

"Brookie. I…", he began to stutter while Brooke hugged herself tight. She still had to cope with the feelings she had felt when he had used his power to hold her down and scream into her face. She could see that he felt guilty right now but for how long? She did not know her father any more. He had not been the kind of dad that had hit her, he hade been just the one that had bought her whatever she had wanted but had not been able to give her the love she needed.

He went closer to her and touched her bruised face "I am sorry.", Brooke shivered from head to toe. She was still mad at him but also afraid and confused, so she just stayed mute and a tear went down her face. It was like she could not move at all.

But his hand did not touch her chin for long. He took another chair and then started talking like she was one of his businessmen, "Your mother and I are going to have a divorce."

Brooke looked shocked at him. Although they were fighting like every second she always thought that they would never divorce. "You are still a minor, so you cannot live on your own."

It was the first time that Brooke managed to talk "I lived on my own my whole life.", she wanted to sound strong but to be true, she felt so helpless and small that her words showed all her fears.

"That's going to change. You did not handle it good at all and you need us or a nanny to supervise you." Inside Brooke yelled at him to leave her room and leave her alone forever. She just wanted to go back to Tree Hill. To her friends, her real family, the people who loved her just because she was Brooke. The Brooke that sometimes drank too much, made faults and could bitch at others but also the Brooke that cared so much for everyone and would do anything to make someone happy.

"I will be staying in New York and your mother will move to LA. We give you the choice to decide with whom you want to live.", he looked at Brooke as if he wanted the answer right away.

She did not want to live with her father nor with her mother. Both of them did not care for her and made her life worse than better. The tears were still falling down her cheek. Her father looked at her and she did not like his look at all. His guilty face was gone and he was not a person who would wait long for an answer.

"Can't I go back living with Karen Roe in Tree Hill?", she asked insecure, she did not want him to get mad at her again, nevertheless he stood up and looked down at her and did not say a word for a moment but then he started screaming, "No, you can't. I don't want to hear you asking this again. Now tell me where you want to live because we have to buy a ticket if you decide for LA."

Brooke knew that she would not win this fight but stopping to fight would mean that she would stop standing up for her own rights.

"Please…dad. I…", she did not expect him to do it again. She felt a hard sting at her cheek and then landed face forward on the ground. He had really hit her again. She held her cheek in shock and stood up. It was then that she lost it as well. All her emotions came out and she started screaming.

"I don't want to live with any one of you. I hate you. You hate me. Where is the point in that…"

"Brooke. Shut up.", he pointed with his finger at his little daughter but there was no way she would stop now.

"No, I won't. I want to live with my friends and Karen. They love me. They care for me. They know me better than any of you will know me…ever.", Brooke was mad but at the same time she was afraid. Her whole body was shivering and she hoped that he would not hit her again.

Unfortunately her wishes did not come true. He jumped forward and took her arm hard again.

"No, leave me alone.", she managed to get free but he was faster and pulled her into another room.

"Dad. Leave me alone.", she screamed and cried but he did not say a word and then closed the door, "I am sick of your behavior, young miss.", he pointed at her madly and she just hugged herself and leaned at the closed door.

"Come over here.", he had a ruler in his hands and pointed at his desk. Brooke looked shocked at him. "No.", she whispered and shook her head.

He jumped forward and took one of her hand on the desk and held it there by force. Then he started hitting her hand hard with the ruler.

"Aaaaaa…", Brooke screamed and tried to get free but he showed no mercy and kept on, "Stoooooop.", he hit so hard that she felt like her hand would break, "That hurts…please stop.", she cried hard but he just took her next hand and started again. She started to kick him with her leg and when he flinched he took her by her waist and pulled her over his knees.

"What are you doing? Stop. Let me goo…", she cried but he looked like all he could think about was hurting his daughter. He held her tight and then started hitting her back. Brooke felt every sting but of course she was not a little girl any more and could fight back, so she managed to get off his lap and ran to the door again to open it. But he had the key.

"Dad. Stop please.", she whined when he approached her again but he took a handful of her hair and pushed her hard on the couch. "You are just like your mother.", he screamed at her. He sat on top of her, so that she could not move her hands at all. She kicked wildly with her legs but there was no escape.

"Get off of me. Get off…get off.", she screamed in panic. She hated that she could not move at all and that he was looking down at her with his mad face and felt no mercy that she was in pain and crying.

"Tell me you're sorry.", he said cold but Brooke shook her head. There was no way she would lie to him again. "I hate you.", she said back although she knew that telling him that she would feel sorry would mean a better move. But there was no way.

He just stayed on top of her, so that she had no way of escaping. He did not hurt her but it was horrible to be in that position and she felt so weak.

"Get off me. Get off me.", she screamed over and over again but he stayed there with her arms pinned under him. She tried not to cry and show how vulnerable she was but she could not suppress her crying. "Get off meeeeee….moooooom", she screamed again but he held her tight "Not until you have calmed down."

She tried to fight him back but he was just too strong. Suddenly everything happened very fast. Her mother opened the door and pulled Richard off of her. "Are you crazy Richard?", she screamed at him. Brooke laid motionless on the couch.

"What is wrong with you Richard? Hitting your own daughter." Richard looked shocked at Brooke for a moment and then left the room while Victoria went over to Brooke. She had to hold a hand in front of her mouth when she saw Brooke's hands. She could not understand what had happened to her husband.

"Brookie.", Victoria softly touched Brooke's head and went through her hair. She was not a mother that really showed many motherly feelings to her daughter but still, this was her daughter lying on the couch in pain. Not only physically. Brooke did not move at all and did not say a thing.

"C'mon. Talk to me honey.", Victoria whispered.

Brooke turned around and looked with wet eyes into her mother's eyes. "He hit me mom!"

"I know. I am sorry Brooke. I am so sorry.", Victoria whispered back with tears in her eyes. "Oh. Really?", Brooke slapped her hand away and wanted to stand up but Victoria held her tight and close to her. They stayed like this for an hour with Brooke crying heavily in her mother's arms and Victoria trying to suppress her tears.

"Let me look at this.", Victoria took Brooke's hands and kissed them. Brooke did not understand anything. Her mother had never been that nice to her.

When her father came inside again she hid her face in her mother's chest. "This is for you.", Richard gave Brooke and envelope but Brooke did not take it. Victoria took it and nodded at Richard who went outside again with a guilty face.

"Open it.", Victoria said to Brooke and Brooke was shocked to see a flight to Tree Hill and a card from her dad. "I hope you'll be happy there."

Brooke looked stunned at her mother who smiled down at her. "Now lets pack your stuff.", Victoria helped Brooke into her room and for the first time she really felt like she was going to miss this young girl.

She could not believe it. She was sitting in the airplane back to Tree Hill. Back to her friends, back to her family. Although she was happy to see them again Brooke could not stop crying during the whole flight. It was not the physical pain she felt in her back and her hands, it was the emotional one.

The pain that she would never have the parents other friends had. Parents that would care for her and just love her. Parents that would wake you up in the morning with a smile on their faces and parents with whom you wanted to cuddle and talk about problems.

She was on her own. It's not like it was news for her but right now she felt it again and she hated that feeling. Although she loved Karen and her friends and to her they were her family, she knew that all of them already had a great family and she felt like they did not need her as another member. Of course she knew that they loved her as well and cared for her but still they were no family by blood. So she flew home not knowing whether she would hear from her parents soon or ever again and not knowing how the other would react to see her again. She closed her eyes and tried to think of anything that would make her happy. Unfortunately she had only thoughts in mind, that made her even sadder: Jimmy being dead, Julian in LA, her dad hitting her and many other things.

A tear went down her cheek.

xxxx

"Mom. Everything ready?", Lucas went outside with the luggage and took it into the car. "Yep. I am ready. So, Peyton, Nathan and Haley are already there?", Karen asked and smiled at his son. "Yes, they are. I cannot believe that it's our first time in New York and I could care less about New York right now."

Karen gave her son a soft kiss "Me neither. I just want to see her safe."

They went into the car and drove to the airport. She was so happy when Adam and Veronica, the housemaid and cook, had called them some days ago and they had decided to visit Brooke and talk to her parents again. They missed her and needed her.

"Hey.", Lucas hugged Haley and his brother and Peyton who were already standing in the line. "I am so excited.", Haley jumped up "I mean, we see her again and maybe they consider letting her stay in Tree Hill again."

"Yeah. I won't leave without her.", Peyton said honestly. "She belongs to us.", Lucas smiled and was looking forward seeing his Brookie.

"I am going to see my daughter again.", Karen smiled too and hoped that Brooke was all right. She really felt like a mother to her and all she wanted her to be was happy.

xxxxx

A very sad Brooke came out of the plane and waited for her luggage. She had her big glasses on because her face was blue and red from her father. When she got into the taxi, she did not know where she should drive to.

The truth was, that she did not have a real home at the moment. Her house was sold, living with the Roes was only a limited solution and living with her friends was impossible. Her parents still gave her enough money to rent something but they insisted that she would have a parental figure watching over her. Actually she had to laugh that her parents insisted on that now, while they could not care less for her when she was living with them. Sometimes people really do strange things.

She saw the Roes' house and took a deep breath when she went out of the car.

She stood in front of the house for a while and just looked at it and finally she knocked on the door and hoped to see two people she missed so much looking at her and smiling. She really hoped that they would be glad that she was back. Finally. Back in Tree Hill. Her home.


	16. Daughters and Fathers

Brooke was sitting in front of the Roes' door and cried into her hands. It was just too much. So much had happened in such a short time and now Lucas and Karen weren't here but somewhere else, without her. She had no clue where they were and did not know what to do. She had no mobile, so she could not phone any one. She decided to walk to Nathan and Haley to see whether they were there. Her tears were falling down her cheek the whole time although she tried to stop crying.  
"Brooke? Is that you?", a voice asked behind her. Brooke immediately wiped away some tears and turned around. She was still wearing a baseball cap and a sunglass to hide her bruises but of course she was not able to hide them all.

"Hi.", she said softly. "Oh my god. Honey, what happened?", Deb looked shocked at the broken figure in front of her and hugged her. Brooke flinched a little, her stomach hurt from the punches her father had added.

"I am not crying. I am not crying.", Brooke whispered to Deb but it was more for herself.

"C'mon.", Deb took her hand and they walked to her house. Dan was inside the house as well. Although he was not the nicest man and they definitely had some marriage problems, he was not a bad man either and in some wicked way he cared for some people and Brooke was one of them. He knew Brooke for a long time; in fact Nathan and Brooke had had many sleepovers as kids.

"Holy shit.", Dan jumped up in surprise when he saw Brooke Davis coming into the living room with a big bruise on her face and hands. Brooke immediately flinched and held up her hand as if she wanted to protect herself. She looked fearfully up at him.

"Who did this to you Brooke?", Dan asked a little too hard. Brooke shrugged her shoulders "I fell down the stairs.", she lied.

He took her hand in hers "No one falls down the stairs and has hands that look like this or", he took off her base cap and sunglass "bruises like this." He pulled her into the living room and did not stop asking, "Do you have more bruises?" Brooke looked at him for a moment without saying anything.

"You were always bad at lying. Lift up you shirt." Brooke looked helplessly at him and wished that Deb would come back but she was looking for some painkillers for Brooke.

"Now Brooke!", Brooke lifted up her shirt slowly and showed the bruises to him. He gasped and then yelled "Who was the asshole that did this to you Brooke?" Of course Brooke knew that Dan was just a little protective but she feared this man right now. "It…I….", she started to stutter. "Dan. Leave her alone.", Deb finally came back into the living room and pushed Dan back a bit. "I will when she….oh god. Don't tell me it was Richard.", but Brooke's face told him everything. He knew Richard for a long time and they had been golfing a lot together in the past.

Brooke immediately started sobbing when Dan did not stop screaming "This asshole. How dare he touch his own daughter."

"Dan. Get out. Now!", Deb pointed at him when she saw how exhausted Brooke was. Dan stopped yelling and looked at the small figure "I am sorry Brookie.", he used her nickname and went through her hair and then got out to run a little. His anger was too much right now and he knew that he could not stop himself sometimes when he got to angry.

xxxxx

Meanwhile the others were in the plane and could not wait to see Brooke. "I hope she is okay.", Lucas told his mom who was reading a fashion magazine. "Since when are you reading fashion magazines?", he laughed at her.

Karen looked up and smiled "Well, Brooke loves them and I want to know why. But I really don't get it.", she took it into her bag again and nodded "Yeah, I hope that she is doing well. I am worried though and I hope we can take her back with us."

Lucas took his arm around his mother "I miss her too, mom."

A little later all of them were outside and looked for a cab to drive to the house were Brooke was living. No one knew that she was not there any more and missed them in Tree Hill.

Veronica and Adam were at the house and wondered that no one was there. There was a small letter that told that Brooke was back in Tree Hill. Nothing more. Of course they were happy for Brooke but when the doorbell rang they knew that her friends did not know this little detail at all. Veronica opened the door with a big smile and saw the nice people smiling at her. "Come in.", she said nicely and all of them entered the big but empty house.

"What? She was locked in?", Karen was walking up and down in the living room. She could not believe what she was hearing. That they had taken away her mobile and that they had locked her in the whole time and actually hit her. Veronica did not know what had happened and why she was gone now but she feared that Brooke's body was showing another bruise.

"Thank you so much for taking care of her.", Karen had the urge to hug Adam and Veronica and went forward and slung her arms around them. She was glad that at least some people cared for Brooke in New York. "We have to go back.", she said to the others who were equally shocked at the news and nodded.

xxxxx

Meanwhile Brooke was lying in Deb's arms and sobbing. "Oh honey. It will get better." Brooke nodded and felt very tired. She had not slept well in the last time. Either she was afraid that her father would come in and yell at her or she had heard her parents yell at each other's.

Dan came inside again totally sweaty from the running and gave a tennis racket to Brooke. Brooke looked confused up at him. "Are you still that clumsy with any sport that has to do with balls?", he smiled down at her. Sometimes you could not get Dan. He could be a real asshole and then he could be a real sweetheart in a weird way.  
"Dan, she does not want to play tennis now."

"Are you or not?", Dan asked again without listening to his wife. Brooke smiled a little "Um…I guess yes."

"Well, then take this racket and come to my car. No need to wait and cry here till they are in Tree Hill again.", he went outside and got into his car. But Brooke did not move at all. She was not in the mood to play tennis now.

She jumped up when he started yelling "Brooke Penelope Davis. Get your ass outside." Brooke rolled her eyes and remembered the old times with the Scotts. She took the racket and went outside and into his car "I am not in the mood to play now.", she crossed her arms in front of her and looked madly at Dan.

"You never were but in the end you liked it."

"I am not ten any more.", Brooke whined and looked to the backseat "What is this?", she asked confused when she saw all the balls. There was a football, a baseball, a basketball and a soccer ball. "Well, we will find out in what sports you are good in."

"I am good in gymnastic and cheering.", Brooke complained and he laughed at her and squeezed her hand for a moment "That is not sport." Brooke rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"Don't hit the ball that hard.", Brooke stomped with her feet when Dan had hit the ball that hard that it landed on her back. "Brooke, you are supposed to get the ball and not run away from it.", Dan laughed at her and teased her.

"I would, if you did not hit it that hard. Jeez.", Brooke threw the ball into the air and wanted to get it with her racket but it landed on her head. Dan immediately started laughing and she threw the racket to the ground like a little kid and crossed her arms and sat down besides the field.

"I hate it.", she kicked the racket while Dan came over to her. "Oh no little miss. You don't get to sit down now. Stand up and try it again.", he took her arm and pulled her to the field again.

"But I am not good at it.", Brooke complained and remembered the times Nathan had complained how strict his father was with him when it came to basketball.

She tried to throw the ball again and actually managed it.

"I am proud of you Brooke.", Dan gave her a water bottle and went through her hair. Brooke smiled a little but was totally sweaty and exhausted. "Now basketball.", he threw the ball into her hand and she whined "Ouch. My nail." Dan rolled his eyes and pulled her to the basket.

"Try making a point.", she looked up and rolled her eyes again "That's too high and the basket is too small." Dan threw the ball and made a point "See, it is not."

"Well, you are bigger than I am."

"Just throw the ball Brooke.", she threw but actually only made an air ball. "Okay, try it like this.", he lifted her up and she threw the ball into the basket. "Yeah, I scored.", she yelled up there. It was a bit weird to have this situation with Dan again. Although he had been a fatherly figure in the past, they had been growing apart when she was older and sometimes she hated how he treated other people but right now it felt good.

"Next step. Baseball.", he gave her a baseball bat and positioned her. He threw the ball but Brooke jumped to the side. "Are you crazy?", she screamed. He laughed. It was good to see the old Brooke that protested about everything.

"Don't run away from the ball Brooke.", he yelled at her and made her jump up. "Don't yell at me and don't throw the ball that fast. I could get hurt." He threw it again but a little harder than before and it actually hit her helmet. She fell backwards and took the helmet off and threw it to the ground "Are you going to kill me or what?"

"Stop complaining and play.", he took her hand and put the helmet on her head again and threw the ball. After some missed shots she got everyone. He was impressed and it looked like she was letting out her fury.

"Wow.", he said and went over to her. "You should consider playing baseball." "Yeah right. I hate dirty sport.", she said back and gave him the helmet "and my hair looks like shit now."

He went through it and pinned her head under his arm and tumbled her hair. Brooke tried to get free but he held her tight "Stoooooooop."

He laughed at her shocked face "I am not a boy.", she complained again and he raised his eyebrow "Really?"

"Don't.", she pointed at him when he took a water bottle. She remembered what he had done to Nathan all the time. "What?", he asked sheepily but then chased after her. "Stoooop it.", Brooke screamed and ran around on the field. Of course he was faster and held her tight and emptied the water on her head.

"You are so mean.", Brooke laughed and fell to the ground with him. Dan nodded "I know.", he went through her hair again and took his arm around her "Oh come here.", she took her hands around his chest and they stayed like this for a moment.

"I am sorry your father hit you.", Dan finally whispered. He had never told any one that he always wished for a daughter and that Brooke actually revealed those feelings every time he saw her. "No big deal."

Dan jumped up in fury "It is a big deal Brooke. A father must not hit their daughter. It is wrong and nothing is your fault. Do you understand me?"

Brooke looked a little shocked at him but nodded "Okay."

"C'mon.", he helped her up and went to the car and took out some boxing gloves and put them over Brooke's hands. Brooke looked confused at them and then at him "and now?"

"Well, hit me.", Dan said but Brooke just stood still "I won't.", she said and wanted to take the gloves off.

"Why? Because you are a softy and let your father hit you?", Dan knew what he was playing and smiled at Brooke's shocked face.

"I did not let him.", Brooke said back and tried to get them off but Dan pushed her backwards so that she fell to the ground. "Stop that.", she complained but he shook his head.

"Why? You let him hit you, so you can let me hit you too." Brooke shook her head "I know your stupid games Dan. Leave me alone.", she stood up but he pushed her again. "Stop that.", she yelled at him but there was no way out. He pushed her to the ground again and again until she hid her face in the gloves and started crying.

Of course he felt pity but he wanted her to let out her fury. "Crying won't help. You're not a baby."

Brooke looked up madly at him "Leave me alone.", she stood up again and walked over to the car furiously and wanted to get in. But Dan pushed her again, but this time it was enough. She started yelling at him and hit him back with all her force. "Leave me alone you fucking bastard.", she cried all the time while she yelled and hit him. But it felt good. Dan did not fight back and took every hit until she fell into his arms and cried hard.

He went through her hair and caressed it "It's okay Brookie."

"I hate you.", Brooke sobbed into his chest and he smiled "Many do."

Finally they were in the car again and drove to somewhere. "Where are we driving to?", Brooke asked through the silence. "A place you loved.", Dan answered. "But I look like this."

"Well and I look like this because of you.", Brooke laughed, he looked dirty as well because she had hit him in the face, chest with her dirty gloves. "Okay, that's a point."

"Oh my god. I haven't been there in like ages.", Brooke looked at the empty hall.

"Well, because I am the mayor I got some connections and we have it for us today.", he went into another room and took out some rollerblades.

"Wait a minute. I turn on the music.", he said and suddenly the lights and music was on. "That's great.", Brooke took the rollerblades and started rollerblading happily. She felt free and went faster. "Aren't you coming?", she went over to Dan who looked a little helpless.

"You know I cannot blade.", Dan said but tried it and fell backwards. Brooke had not laughed like this for a long time. She had to hold her stomach and fell to the floor as well. "Very funny.", Dan tried to get up but only managed with the help of Brooke. "I have never seen anyone rollerblading that bad.", almost all of his weight was on Brooke. "Ouch.", Brooke whined, "you are so heavy."

"Thank you very much.", Dan smiled and tried it alone. He managed it for a while but soon landed on the floor again.

xxxx

When they came back home Deb was shocked "Where have you been? It's dark and I tried to call you like a million times.", she yelled at Dan but then saw Brooke's happy and dirty face.

"What have you done to her?", she went over to Brooke and between them to protect Brooke.

"Nothing Deb. Calm down.", Dan defended himself and took a scotch. "Are you okay?", Deb asked Brooke and she nodded immediately "Yeah, I am. But could I take a shower? I smell like a boy."

Of course Deb nodded and looked confused at Dan when Brooke went upstairs and showered. "Why do you always assume I did something bad?", Dan asked a little hurt. "Because I can count too many bad things that happened because of you.", Deb said angrily and went into the living room to watch TV.

A little later Brooke came downstairs and sat down between her. "Um…could I maybe sleep here tonight? I don't have..."

"Of course you can. I already made your bed.", Deb said smiling "they could not take a plane tonight but tomorrow morning.", Brooke nodded and went upstairs into the room. She was so exhausted that she fell asleep immediately without changing into her PJ's.


	17. Finally back

Brooke slept like a stone that night. Dan had definitely managed to exhaust her with his ideas and her body ached from the sport she had done with him. But she liked it. It showed her that she was still alive and that Dan cared for her.

She woke up with a small smile on her face and stayed in bed for a while and thought about her life. It was crazy that everything could change that fast. She wondered what her parents were doing right now but she tried not to care. She took a deep breath and jumped out of the bed and went downstairs. She did not care whether she was wearing make-up or not. She had been living with the Scotts very often in the past and Deb and Dan just appreciated her the way she was.

xxxxxx

"Good morning sunshine.", Dan said and gave her a cup of coffee. He was definitely in a good mood and Brooke looked a little confused at him but then she saw Deb in the same mood and she knew that they obviously had had a good night. Together. Just the thought of it made her shiver.

"Hey honey. It's nice to see a smile on your face.", Deb hugged Brooke from behind and then opened the refrigerator to start making breakfast.

"Can I help you?", Brooke asked politely but Deb shook her head.

"Nope. I got everything under control.", she was definitely in a good mood. Brooke could not understand their relationship. One day they were yelling at each other as if they were the worst enemies and the next day they were like butterflies to each other. Really weird. She wished that she would have a different relationship with a man one day. She thought of Julian for a moment and started to miss him. Although they had not dated that long, she really liked him and would have given him a chance to get to know her better but unfortunately he was miles away and they had not heard from each other since he had moved away. Sometimes she fantasized that they would meet again in some years and start dating again.

"I want you to close your eyes.", Dan said to Brooke who looked confused at him. The bruise was still visible in her face and her body ached.

"Why?", she asked a little confused and raised an eyebrow. Dan did not answer her and just went behind her and took his hands over her eyes.

"Stop that.", Brooke protested and wanted to get them off but he was stronger and pulled her down off the chair. She did not know that her friends were standing in the living room and smiling at her. "Daaaan.", she whined but then heard someone's laugh. She smiled immediately.

"P. Sawyer", she said and Dan took his hands away. Brooke stood still for a moment when she saw Karen, Lucas, Jake, Peyton, Haley and Nathan standing in front of her. They had to gasp for a moment because they were not prepared to see her with a black eye. Suddenly she could not suppress her tears and they run freely down her cheek.

"Don't I get a proper hug?", Karen opened her arms and Brooke fell into them immediately and cried into her chest.

"I missed you so much.", she whispered and tried to stop crying but did not succeed.

"Oh, we missed you too pretty girl.", Lucas hugged her tightly and finally all the other got a warm hug from their good friend as well. They had tears in their eyes as well and kissed her cheek over and over again. Even Nathan showed his feelings and hugged her tightly.

"I cannot breathe.", she complained but he did not let her go.

"It's good to have you back."

xxxxxx

They day was perfect. All of them were at the Scott's house till the evening. Even Karen and Dan got along and it was not weird for them.

"Yeah and Adam and Veronica let me help them all the time. I can cook a little now.", Brooke told them everything and it felt good. Even talking about her father's beatings and her mother's screaming was kind of healing. She even managed to talk about Jimmy's death a little and told them that Veronica and Adam had helped her a lot to cope with it.

"I don't believe that. I remember your cookies. You mixed up salt and sugar.", Haley laughed and received a little slap from Brooke.

"How should I know whether it's salt or sugar? There was nothing written on it.", Brooke crossed her arms in front of her and defended herself.

"You could have just tasted it before you added it.", Haley said back but Brooke shook her head.

"That's gross. I don't put my finger in a bottle of sugar or salt. What if it was salt, that would taste horrible."

All of them laughed and could see that they had their old Brooke back. At least a bit. Karen knew that she was still wounded and it would take some time to get her back to normal.

xxxxxxx

"Wow. That's amazing.", Brooke looked around in the room. It was painted in her favorite color and all her stuff was in there. "So this will be my room?", she asked.

Lucas had his old room back and she got a new small but very comfortable room.

"It's smaller than Lucas' room and you can change but I thought you would like that and..", Karen stopped talking when Brooke hugged her tightly.

"I don't like it. I love it.", she was really overwhelmed by it and it showed her again that she was welcome in their house.

"So, I am officially your legal guardian now.", Karen hugged Brooke from behind and made the girl blush a little.

"If that's okay?", Brooke whispered and Karen turned her around.

"You don't know how much I missed you Brooke and I don't hesitate one second. I love you and I want you with us.", Brooke could tell that she was not lying and nodded and wiped her tears. Finally she was back with them and it felt great.

Lucas came into the room, "Hey my girls.", he went in the middle of them and took his arms around both of them, "Don't tell me you are crying again?", he saw the tears in their eyes but when they smiled up at him, he could tell that those were happy tears, "Oh, I've missed you pretty girl.", he hugged her tightly and for the first time she felt really safe again.

xxxxxxxx

A little later Brooke was lying in her bed and writing into her diary.

_"I am back in Tree Hill. That's where my home is. Home is where your loved ones are. I am happy to have so many people I love and who love me."_, she was not in the mood to write more and closed the diary when she heard a soft knock.

"Come in.", she said and Lucas looked into her room.

"Hey, we wanted to watch a movie and we don't want to miss you.", Brooke looked at the clock and then back to Lucas.

"C'mon. You've been up way longer in the past.", she nodded and jumped up and finally had the urge to jump onto his back. He carried her into the living room while both of them were smiling happily. Karen looked at the two teenagers and felt very happy. They sat down on the couch.

"No sad movie please.", Brooke pleaded. She did not want to cry again.

"How about something funny? We have this one.", Karen showed it to them with a wide smile.

"The cactus flower? Never heard of it but okay.", Brooke answered and went under the blanket. She looked to her left and gave Karen a kiss on her cheek and then to the right and gave one to Lucas as well. Both of them kissed her cheek in the mean time back.

All of them loved the movie and had to laugh a lot.

Brooke knew that everything would turn out great. Of course she was still suffering and the things that had happened to her were horrible but with her friends' support, she would make it. She looked at Lucas and blushed a little.

She did not know why but she liked it. She cuddled closer to Karen and soon she fell asleep. She felt safe and protected. Although Karen was not her real mother, she definitely replaced that gap in Brooke's life. And Brooke loved it.

xxxxxxx

_**THE END**_

_**A.N. Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed reading this story. When I started it I wanted to write only some chapters (like 4) about Karen and Brooke but it turned out to be a little longer. I hope that this feels a little like an end. I know that some of you wanted to see Brulian and some of you wanted Brucas...you can decide in your imagination what'll happen. She could fall in love with Lucas again when she's living with Karen and him for the rest of her school-life or she could meet Julian after school again. Everything is possible, right ;). Thank you so much for your reviews. They mean a lot to me and got me this far!**_

_**I won't say that I do not consider a sequel because I have some ideas in mind but it depends on you and my time ;).**_

_**I wish you the best!**_

_**Your CaseyJr.**_


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